Climate model simulations and aridity indices suggest decreasing summertime surface soil moisture in the continental USA due to anthropogenic climate change, but observations from 2011 to 2020 reveal positive trends across 57% of the region. Using a two-layer land surface model, this study attributes short-term soil moisture changes mainly to internal precipitation variability, and long-term trends to uncertain precipitation alterations.
- Lucas R. Vargas Zeppetello
- Aleyda M. Trevino
- Peter Huybers
