Fernández‐Alvarez et al. (2026) Brief communication: Atmospheric moisture and near-surface temperature anomalies: key drivers in the 2022 European mega-drought

Identification

• Journal: Natural hazards and earth system sciences
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-08-11
• Authors: José C. Fernández‐Alvarez, Raquel Nieto, Sergio Martín Vicente-Serrano, David Carvalho, Luís Gimeno
• DOI: 10.5194/nhess-26-3741-2026

Research Groups

• Galicia Supercomputing Center (CESGA), Climate System Research Unit
• CESAM, Departamento de Física, Universidade de Aveiro
• Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Environmental Physics Laboratory (EPhysLab)
• Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IPE–CSIC)

Short Summary

This study reveals the dynamics driving the 2022 European mega-drought using an integrated Lagrangian moisture and temperature diagnostic framework. The research highlights a marked decoupling between atmospheric moisture availability and precipitation formation, with persistent anticyclonic circulation and large-scale subsidence suppressing precipitation contributions from Atlantic and Mediterranean sources.

Objective

• Investigate the role of anomalous moisture and temperature sources in shaping the 2022 European drought's evolution.
• Quantify the contributions of different oceanic and continental regions to atmospheric moisture uptake and precipitation formation during the drought.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Continental Europe, with a focus on the North Atlantic and Mediterranean regions.
• Temporal Scale: The study covers the period from January 2022 to November 2022, with a focus on the peak drought months (May-August).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: FLEXPART model for Lagrangian moisture-uptake diagnostics and ERA5 reanalysis data.
• Data sources: Satellite, observation, and reanalysis datasets.

Main Results

• The study reveals a marked decoupling between atmospheric moisture availability and precipitation formation during the 2022 European drought.
• Persistent anticyclonic circulation and large-scale subsidence suppressed precipitation contributions from Atlantic and Mediterranean sources.
• The research highlights the importance of considering both moisture availability and precipitation formation when studying droughts.

Contributions

• This study provides new quantitative evidence of a marked decoupling between moisture availability and precipitation formation during the 2022 European drought.
• The research highlights the importance of persistent anticyclonic circulation and large-scale subsidence in suppressing precipitation contributions from Atlantic and Mediterranean sources.

Funding

• This work was supported by the Xunta de Galicia (Axencia Galega de Innovación) under the Postdoctoral grant no. IN606B2024/016.
• The research was also supported by FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technol- ogy) and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education (MCTES).
• Additional support was provided by the Unidad Asociada CSIC–Universidade de Vigo: Grupo de Física de la Atmósfera y del Océano.

Citation

@article{FernándezAlvarez2026Brief,
  author = {Fernández‐Alvarez, José C. and Nieto, Raquel and Vicente-Serrano, Sergio Martín and Carvalho, David and Gimeno, Luís},
  title = {Brief communication: Atmospheric moisture and near-surface temperature anomalies: key drivers in the 2022 European mega-drought},
  journal = {Natural hazards and earth system sciences},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.5194/nhess-26-3741-2026},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-3741-2026}
}