A new indicator reveals frequent flash droughts with a common physical evolution in different agricultural regions worldwide

LOVINO, MIGUEL ANGEL; BERBERY, ERNESTO HUGO; PIERRESTEGUI, MARÍA JOSEFINA; MÜLLER, OMAR; MÜLLER, GABRIELA VIVIANA

Vienna

Congreso; EGU General Assembly 2023; 2023

Flash droughts negatively impact agriculture and natural ecosystems worldwide. However, there is still no flash drought indicator that can couple rapid soil moisture depletion and its impacts on vegetation health. Moreover, the literature describes several indicators that may not reliably represent flash drought evolution or its drivers in varying climatic regimes. Our study introduces a robust and straightforward approach to identify flash droughts based on ERA5 root-zone soil moisture along with soil properties (field capacity and wilting point) to reflect the soil moisture deficit and plant water stress conditions across different climate regions. Using this approach, we identify the regions in the world prone to flash droughts, and their seasonal frequency. This study also analyzes the processes involving atmospheric and surface drivers during the drought lifecycle.