The content of this website is no longer being updated. For information on current assessment activities, please visit http://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment

Attribution of observed surface humidity changes to human influence

TitleAttribution of observed surface humidity changes to human influence
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2007
AuthorsWillett, KM, NP Gillett, P. D. Jones, and P. W. Thorne
JournalNature
Volume449
Issue7163
Pagination710-12
Date PublishedOCT 11 2007
ISBN Number0028-0836
KeywordsClimatology, cycle, ICOADS, model, RELATIVE-HUMIDITY, temperature, trends, variability, WATER-VAPOR
Abstract

Water vapour is the most important contributor to the natural greenhouse effect, and the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere is expected to increase under conditions of greenhouse-gas-induced warming, leading to a significant feedback on anthropogenic climate change(1-3). Theoretical and modelling studies predict that relative humidity will remain approximately constant at the global scale as the climate warms, leading to an increase in specific humidity(1,4,5). Although significant increases in surface specific humidity have been identified in several regions(6-9), and on the global scale in non-homogenized data(10), it has not been shown whether these changes are due to natural or human influences on climate. Here we use a new quality-controlled and homogenized gridded observational data set of surface humidity, with output from a coupled climate model, to identify and explore the causes of changes in surface specific humidity over the late twentieth century. We identify a significant global-scale increase in surface specific humidity that is attributable mainly to human influence. Specific humidity is found to have increased in response to rising temperatures, with relative humidity remaining approximately constant. These changes may have important implications, because atmospheric humidity is a key variable in determining the geographical distribution(11-13) and maximum intensity(14) of precipitation, the potential maximum intensity of tropical cyclones(15), and human heat stress(16), and has important effects on the biosphere(17) and surface hydrology(17,18).

DOIDOI 10.1038/nature06207
Reference number

35

Short TitleAttribution of observed surface humidity changes to human influence
Citation Key35