A Multi-Scale Study of the Nexus of U.S. Droughts: Predictability, Mechanisms, and Awareness
Drought is one of the least understood natural hazards, in part due to the complexity of the generating mechanisms that interact across a range of spatiotemporal scales. Alarmingly, every year, droughts continue to cause billions of dollars in economic losses. To constrain these losses, there is a crucial need to further advance drought understanding and predictability, and effectively communicate its risks. This dissertation develops an interdisciplinary body of knowledge on drought development, mechanisms, and risk perceptions. First, I demonstrate the role of skillful prediction of near-surface temperatures and sea surface temperatures for forecasting of the 2012 US drought. Next, the dissertation delineates the influence of land cover and use changes (LCUC) on drought development at multiple scales. Lastly, I examine how the citizenry perceives emerging droughts at the state and nation-level. The findings of the dissertation will further help refine drought forecasting and societal response frameworks, thus enhancing society's resilience to drought risks.
Drought, Land-atmosphere Interaction, Mechanism, Predictability, Social Awareness
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