In the heart of America’s Great Plains and the West, farms look lush from above, but the reality on the ground tells a different story. Older irrigation systems, meant to sustain crops, are struggling to provide enough water in a climate that's getting hotter, says Meetpal Kukal, an agricultural hydrologist.

A major factor behind this struggle? Increased "atmospheric thirst." Solomon Gebrechorkos, a hydroclimatologist at the University of Oxford, has led a study showing that as temperatures rise, the atmosphere demands more water. This phenomenon has contributed to an increase in both the frequency and intensity of droughts over the last 40 years.

Droughts occur when there's an imbalance between water supply and its demand. While rainfall can replenish the soil, the hotter climate accelerates evaporation, making it difficult for farmers to keep up. The situation is further complicated because past drought studies focused mainly on precipitation, neglecting the importance of factors like temperature and humidity. Gebrechorkos argues this oversight has hindered our understanding of drought dynamics, likening it to managing a budget without considering all expenses.