this post was submitted on 18 May 2026
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New research shows that although the world is seeing more rain overall, it's also getting drier at the same time.

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[–] gsv@programming.dev 20 points 1 day ago

From an environmental physics point of view, this is not very weird: Warm air holds more absolute amount of water, leading to stronger downpours and longer dry periods. One could also say, the world is getting warmer and this a little “more like summer”. And strong rains converts to strong surface runoff. In other words: Strong rains causes your streets and fields to flood and that water raises the rivers rather than the soil’s moisture. And there we go: The soil is getting drier although there’s more total rainfall.