Archfield (2025) Spatial connections between the timing of hydroclimatic extremes

Identification

• Journal: Nature Water
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-12-09
• Authors: S. A. Archfield
• DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00536-2

Research Groups

• US Geological Survey, Reston, VA, USA (Stacey A. Archfield)

Short Summary

This News & Views article discusses a global analysis that reveals unexpected cross-hemisphere synchronizations in the timing of droughts and rainfall-induced flooding, highlighting their significant implications for global food supply chains.

Objective

• To discuss and highlight the significance of a global analysis that identifies novel cross-hemisphere synchronizations in the timing of hydroclimatic extremes (droughts and rainfall-induced flooding) and their potential impacts on global food security.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: The underlying research discussed is global, examining cross-hemisphere connections in hydroclimatic extremes.
• Temporal Scale: Not explicitly detailed in this News & Views article, but concerns the timing of hydroclimatic extreme events.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not explicitly detailed in this News & Views article for the underlying global analysis.
• Data sources: Not explicitly detailed in this News & Views article for the underlying global analysis.

Main Results

• The underlying global analysis uncovered unexpected synchronizations in the timing of droughts and rainfall-induced flooding across different hemispheres.
• These newly identified spatial connections have significant implications for global food supply chains, particularly affecting the world's breadbasket regions.

Contributions

• Provides a timely commentary on groundbreaking research that extends the understanding of hydroclimatic extreme event connections from regional to global scales.
• Emphasizes the critical importance of these global synchronizations for assessing and managing risks to global food security.

Funding

• Not explicitly stated for this News & Views article.

Citation

@article{Archfield2025Spatial,
  author = {Archfield, S. A.},
  title = {Spatial connections between the timing of hydroclimatic extremes},
  journal = {Nature Water},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1038/s44221-025-00536-2},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-025-00536-2}
}