Climate change: Chinese scientists say ‘flash droughts’ are becoming the new normal

Researchers find a global shift from droughts that develop slowly to rapid-onset dry spells marked by quick loss of moisture from plants and soil

The trend may have an irreversible impact on ecosystems and raise challenges for weather monitoring and prediction, they say

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In the summer of 2022, China was hit by its most severe drought and heatwave in six decades. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:00pm, 16 Apr 2023Updated: 3:46pm, 20 Apr 2023

Scientists say “flash droughts” – marked by rapid onset and quick loss of moisture from plants and soil – are increasing globally as climate change leads to higher temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns around the world.

Droughts have typically been a slow-onset phenomenon that can persist for months or years because of a lack of rainfall.

However, a study led by Chinese scientists found there has been a global transition from slow-growing droughts to flash droughts that develop rapidly and can become severe in a matter of weeks.

Unlike slow-developing droughts, which are caused by a decrease in precipitation over time, flash droughts occur when there is low precipitation along with other factors such as high temperatures, which can quickly increase evaporation and remove water from soil and vegetation.

The concept of flash droughts was proposed in the early 2000s, but it did not gain much attention until a severe drought hit the United States in the summer of 2012, according to the study, which was published in Science on Thursday.

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