Extreme heat events in central Europe are primarily driven by unusual atmospheric patterns and soil deficits in water, a new study has found.
Researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany, said that while atmospheric factors and soil moisture memory play a significant role in dry weather extremes, temperature changes have minimal impact.
Soil water deficit measures the difference between the amount of water in soil and that required by plants, while soil moisture memory refers to how long moisture remains in the soil after rainfall.
The study, published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment underscores the complex nature of extreme weather events, which could significantly influence climate adaptation efforts, the authors said.
They found that between 1979 and 2020, dry soil contributed to temperature rise by up to 67 per cent, while the influence of atmospheric factors on soil moisture increased by as much as 50 per cent.
"We find that in the period between 1979 and 2020, the influence of dry soil on temperature has been amplified by 67 per cent during compound hot and dry extremes, while the impact of atmospheric drivers on soil moisture has intensified by 50 per cent (36 per cent) during compound (single) extremes," the authors wrote.
"This work highlights the strengthened causal links of compound hot and dry extremes with their underlying drivers under global warming, leading to non-linear interactions and increase adaptation challenges," they wrote.
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