Flash Droughts Wreak Havoc Worldwide – Scientists Warn of Rapid Rise
Flash droughts – those brutal dry spells that ramp up in just weeks – have surged since the late 1950s across 74% of the globe’s 33 key regions. Hotspots include North and East Asia, the Sahara, and Europe.
What’s Sparking These Speedy Droughts?
Dr Peili Wu of the Met Office, co-author of a new international study, explains: “The rise in flash droughts is fuelled by a mix of shrinking rainfall and faster soil moisture loss.” In other words, the land is drying out quicker than ever, thanks to less rain and hotter conditions.
The study reveals that droughts are switching from slow creeps to lightning-fast killers, a trend set to worsen if greenhouse gas emissions continue to climb.
The Science Behind a Drought
Droughts start with a lack of rain or snow. But when soaring temperatures and stronger winds join in, soil dries at alarming rates. This creates flash droughts, which hit hard and fast – unlike the traditional slow-build droughts that can drag on for years.
Flash droughts only recently grabbed the spotlight thanks to devastating events in the US (2012) and China (2013). Dr Wu said, “These events caused massive economic damage and wrecked crops.”
What Does the Future Hold?
Researchers modelled drought scenarios under both moderate and extreme greenhouse gas emissions. In every case, droughts are speeding up, with flash droughts becoming more frequent than ever.
This eye-opening research highlights how human-driven climate change is turbocharging drought onset worldwide. Understanding this fast-changing threat is vital for improving drought warnings and protecting vulnerable regions.
A Global Effort to Track Climate Havoc
The groundbreaking paper, A Global Transition to Flash Drought Under Climate Change, is a joint effort by UK, Chinese, and US scientists. It’s led by Professor Xing Yuan of Nanjing University and funded partly by the Climate Science for Service Partnership China (CSSP China), a UK-China initiative backed by the UK Government’s Newton Fund.
