Large-scale aggregation of humid heatwaves exacerbated by coastal oceanic warming来自 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-026-01952-z## Abstract:Background:Large-scaleconcurrences of humid heatwavessubstantially escalate the risks of heat-related mortality. However, quantifying the origins of these concurrent extremesremains challenging.What this pp. did:Here we use acomplex network approachapplied to climate reanalysis data to show that the observed intensification of humid heatwaves is closely associated with coastal oceanic warming over the period 1982–2023. This linkage is more pronounced for the large-scale aggregation of extreme humid heatwaves than for the locally confined events.Results:In particular, approximately 50% and 64% of the upward trends in humid heatwave frequency and spatial-aggregation strength over hotspot regions are linked to their adjacent oceans, respectively.Results-mechanisms:These land–ocean linkages largely arise fromtropical ocean-driven moisture transport towards land regions and from coupled terrestrial–oceanic warming in the mid-to-high latitudes associated with atmospheric Rossby waves.Compared with mid-to-high latitudes,the tropics encompass most high-risk areasand exhibitstronger land–ocean linkages, highlighting the critical role of tropical oceans. Climate model experiments further demonstrate the influence of tropical oceans on adjacent terrestrial humid heatwaves.Conclusion:Our study provides insights that coastal sea surface temperature can be a crucial precursor of the large-scale aggregation of humid heatwaves.## Intro:Para1 Intro of events:Compound humid and hot events pose a substantially higher risk for human health, compared with the extreme events of a single type1,2,3. The heat stress of such compound events is widelyindicated by wet-bulb temperature (Tw), whichintegrates the effects of both temperature and humidity4,5,6,7,8. When Tw exceeds the critical survival threshold of 35 °C, it becomes fatal for humans and many other mammals6,7,8. Even at considerably lower values, Tw can still lead to serious risks to human morbidity and mortality3,9. Such heat stress caused by compound humid heatwaves has been rising rapidly over the past decades7,10,11,12 and is projected to accelerate further in the future13,14,15. A comprehensive investigation of humid heatwaves at the global scale, including the disentanglement of their underlying dynamics and drivers, is essential for developing efficient mitigation and adaptation strategies in response to climate change.Para2 drivers of events:Occurrences of humid heatwaves have been found to bemodulated by atmospheric rivers16,17,18, quasi-stationary planetary waves19,20,21, light rain22, land–atmosphere feedbacks23,24 and oceanic variability12,21,25,26.In particular,atmospheric rivers transport moisture and heat to terrestrial regions during humid heatwave occurrences16,17,18, while light rainfall enhances local evaporation22. Influence of the atmospheric Rossby waves involves large-scale moisture transport, warm air advection and intensified solar radiation accompanied by heat-dome-like circulations19,20,21,27,28. Coastal oceanic warming can exacerbate thermal discomfort in coastal areas by inducing changes in temperature, humidity and wind speed25. Moreover, ocean–atmosphere coupling modes, such as El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole, have been found to aggravate humid-heat risks by triggering atmospheric Rossby wave trains21,26. By contrast, terrestrial soil drought can mitigate the lethality of humid heatwaves through reducing surface evaporation24, while agricultural irrigation exerts an opposite effect29,30.## Results:Humid heatwaves triggered by onshore moisture transportFig. 1: Extreme humid heatwaves and their spatial concurrences.Fig. 2: Terrestrial humid heatwaves influenced by moisture transport from adjacent oceans.Adjacent land–ocean linkageFig. 3: Observed linkages among humid heatwaves, warm SST and wet events at synoptic scales.Fig. 4: North Indian Ocean warming exacerbates humid-heat risks over South and Western Asia.Long-term trend linked to coastal oceanic warmingFig. 5: Observed and estimated trends in humid heatwaves.
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发布时间：2026/6/15 16:01:56
Large-scale aggregation of humid heatwaves exacerbated by coastal oceanic warming来自 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-026-01952-z## Abstract:Background:Large-scaleconcurrences of humid heatwavessubstantially escalate the risks of heat-related mortality. However, quantifying the origins of these concurrent extremesremains challenging.What this pp. did:Here we use acomplex network approachapplied to climate reanalysis data to show that the observed intensification of humid heatwaves is closely associated with coastal oceanic warming over the period 1982–2023. This linkage is more pronounced for the large-scale aggregation of extreme humid heatwaves than for the locally confined events.Results:In particular, approximately 50% and 64% of the upward trends in humid heatwave frequency and spatial-aggregation strength over hotspot regions are linked to their adjacent oceans, respectively.Results-mechanisms:These land–ocean linkages largely arise fromtropical ocean-driven moisture transport towards land regions and from coupled terrestrial–oceanic warming in the mid-to-high latitudes associated with atmospheric Rossby waves.Compared with mid-to-high latitudes,the tropics encompass most high-risk areasand exhibitstronger land–ocean linkages, highlighting the critical role of tropical oceans. Climate model experiments further demonstrate the influence of tropical oceans on adjacent terrestrial humid heatwaves.Conclusion:Our study provides insights that coastal sea surface temperature can be a crucial precursor of the large-scale aggregation of humid heatwaves.## Intro:Para1 Intro of events:Compound humid and hot events pose a substantially higher risk for human health, compared with the extreme events of a single type1,2,3. The heat stress of such compound events is widelyindicated by wet-bulb temperature (Tw), whichintegrates the effects of both temperature and humidity4,5,6,7,8. When Tw exceeds the critical survival threshold of 35 °C, it becomes fatal for humans and many other mammals6,7,8. Even at considerably lower values, Tw can still lead to serious risks to human morbidity and mortality3,9. Such heat stress caused by compound humid heatwaves has been rising rapidly over the past decades7,10,11,12 and is projected to accelerate further in the future13,14,15. A comprehensive investigation of humid heatwaves at the global scale, including the disentanglement of their underlying dynamics and drivers, is essential for developing efficient mitigation and adaptation strategies in response to climate change.Para2 drivers of events:Occurrences of humid heatwaves have been found to bemodulated by atmospheric rivers16,17,18, quasi-stationary planetary waves19,20,21, light rain22, land–atmosphere feedbacks23,24 and oceanic variability12,21,25,26.In particular,atmospheric rivers transport moisture and heat to terrestrial regions during humid heatwave occurrences16,17,18, while light rainfall enhances local evaporation22. Influence of the atmospheric Rossby waves involves large-scale moisture transport, warm air advection and intensified solar radiation accompanied by heat-dome-like circulations19,20,21,27,28. Coastal oceanic warming can exacerbate thermal discomfort in coastal areas by inducing changes in temperature, humidity and wind speed25. Moreover, ocean–atmosphere coupling modes, such as El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole, have been found to aggravate humid-heat risks by triggering atmospheric Rossby wave trains21,26. By contrast, terrestrial soil drought can mitigate the lethality of humid heatwaves through reducing surface evaporation24, while agricultural irrigation exerts an opposite effect29,30.## Results:Humid heatwaves triggered by onshore moisture transportFig. 1: Extreme humid heatwaves and their spatial concurrences.Fig. 2: Terrestrial humid heatwaves influenced by moisture transport from adjacent oceans.Adjacent land–ocean linkageFig. 3: Observed linkages among humid heatwaves, warm SST and wet events at synoptic scales.Fig. 4: North Indian Ocean warming exacerbates humid-heat risks over South and Western Asia.Long-term trend linked to coastal oceanic warmingFig. 5: Observed and estimated trends in humid heatwaves.
