Study: Atmospheric Rivers May Drive Up to 90% of Antarctica's Annual Precipitation
By
Rebecca Owen
Front-window bakery material. Catches the eye, delivers the goods.
Summary
A new study published in Geophysical Research Letters reveals that atmospheric rivers—intense bands of warm, moist air—may be responsible for up to 90% of Antarctica's annual precipitation. These "rivers in the sky" transport heavy moisture from lower to higher latitudes, and when they encounter cold air or mountainous terrain in Antarctica, the moisture condenses and falls as snow, helping build surface ice mass. The research highlights the critical role these weather phenomena play in Antarctica's climate system and ice accumulation.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledAtmospheric rivers act like 'rivers in the sky,' shuttling intense bands of warm, heavy moisture from lower to higher latitudes.
When an atmospheric river encounters cold air or mountainous terrain, the moisture it carries condenses and falls as heavy rain or snow.
In Antarctica, the arrival of an atmospheric river can help build surface ice mass.
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