New Study by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Predicts Widespread Drought Risk by 2100

April 03, 2014

Increasing heat is expected to extend dry conditions to far more farmland and cities by the end of the century than changes in rainfall alone, says a new study from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Much of the concern about future drought under global warming has focused on rainfall projections, but higher evaporation rates may also play an important role as warmer temperatures wring more moisture from the soil, even in some places where rainfall is forecasted to increase, say the researchers.