Soil Moisture Heterogeneity Amplifies Humid Heat
Published:Dec 30, 2025 13:01
•1 min read
•ArXiv
Analysis
This paper investigates the impact of varying soil moisture on humid heat, a critical factor in understanding and predicting extreme weather events. The study uses high-resolution simulations to demonstrate that mesoscale soil moisture patterns can significantly amplify humid heat locally. The findings are particularly relevant for predicting extreme humid heat at regional scales, especially in tropical regions.
Key Takeaways
- •Mesoscale soil moisture heterogeneity can significantly amplify humid heat.
- •The amplification is dependent on the length scale of the wet patches, with a critical scale of 50 km.
- •The background wind and wet-dry contrast influence the amplification.
- •The findings can help predict extreme humid heat at city and county scales in the Tropics.
Reference
“Humid heat is locally amplified by 1-4°C, with maximum amplification for the critical soil moisture length-scale λc = 50 km.”