Simultaneous hot and dry weather extremes pose a growing threat to global crop yields
In short: Researchers analyzing global weather and agricultural data from 1980 to 2009 found that the combination of extreme heat and drought during growing seasons consistently reduces yields for major crops like maize, rice, soybeans, and wheat. While cold and wet extremes also negatively impact production, the study highlights a concerning trend: the likelihood of these hot and dry events is rising globally.
This research adds to our understanding of climate variability by quantifying how multi-stressor weather events affect food security. By examining gridded weather data alongside reported yields, the team identified that wheat is particularly vulnerable, experiencing up to a six-fold increase in the probability of these combined extremes over the study period.
The study is limited by its reliance on historical reported crop yield data and gridded weather records, which may not capture every local nuance of agricultural production.
Why it matters: Climate variability is making it more likely that simultaneous heat and drought will threaten the global food supply.
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