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Journal article
Physical mechanisms of meteorological drought development, intensification and termination: an Australian review
Communications earth & environment, Vol.6(1), 220
2025
Abstract
We synthesise advances in the understanding of the physical processes that play a role in developing, intensifying, and terminating meteorological droughts. We focus on Australia, where new understanding of drought drivers across different climate regimes provides insights into drought processes elsewhere in the world. Drawing on observational, climate model and machine learning-based research, we conclude that meteorological drought develops and intensifies largely through an absence of synoptic processes responsible for strong moisture transport and heavy precipitation. The subsequent presence of these synoptic processes is key to drought termination. Large-scale modes of climate variability modulate drought through teleconnections, which alter drought-determining synoptic behaviour. On local scales, land surface processes play an important role in intensifying dry conditions and propagating meteorological drought through the hydrological cycle. In the future, Australia may experience longer and more intense droughts than have been observed in the instrumental record, although confidence in drought projections remains low. We propose a research agenda to address key knowledge gaps to improve the understanding, simulation and projection of drought in Australia and around the world.
Australia experiences meteorological droughts due to insufficient moisture transport and heavy precipitation, which are influenced by climate variability and land processes, and are expected to become longer and more frequent, according to a review of observational and model-based studies.
Details
- Title
- Physical mechanisms of meteorological drought development, intensification and termination: an Australian review
- Authors/Creators
- Chiara M. Holgate - Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Australian National University, ARC Centre of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century, Australian National UniversityGeorgina M. Falster - Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Australian National UniversityZoe E. Gillett - ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South WalesPallavi Goswami - Monash UniversityMatthew O. Grant - ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South WalesSanaa Hobeichi - ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, ARC Centre of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century, University of New South WalesDavid Hoffmann - Bureau of MeteorologyXiaoxuan Jiang - ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of Tasmania, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaChenhui Jin - Monash UniversityXiancheng Lu - ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South WalesMengyuan Mu - ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South WalesJon Cranko Page - ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South WalesTeresa J. Parker - Climate Variability and Hazards, CSIRO EnvironmentElisabeth Vogel - ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Water Research Centre, University of New South Wales, School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of MelbourneNerilie J. Abram - Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Australian National University, ARC Centre of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century, Australian National UniversityJason P. Evans - UNSW SydneyAilie J. E. Gallant - Monash UniversityBenjamin J. Henley - University of WollongongJatin Kala - Murdoch University, Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and SustainabilityAndrew D. King - The University of MelbourneNicola Maher - Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Australian National University, ARC Centre of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century, Australian National UniversityHanh Nguyen - Bureau of MeteorologyAndrew J. Pitman - ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South WalesScott B. Power - University of Southern QueenslandSurendra P. Rauniyar - Bureau of MeteorologyAndréa S. Taschetto - ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, ARC Centre of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century, University of New South WalesAnna M. Ukkola - ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales
- Publication Details
- Communications earth & environment, Vol.6(1), 220
- Publisher
- Nature Publishing Group UK
- Number of pages
- 14
- Grant note
- ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes
- Identifiers
- 991005753927207891
- Copyright
- © The Author(s) 2025
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences; Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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