Potential impact of irrigation on Hurricane Isaias
Irrigation, a significant human activity that alters land use and land cover, can directly impact local surface energy and water balances. It also has the potential to influence large-scale atmospheric circulations and remote weather systems. This study employs the regionally refined Simple Cloud-Resolving E3SM Atmosphere Model (SCREAM) to examine the effects of irrigation on Hurricane Isaias, which struck the eastern and southeastern coasts of the United States from August 2-5, 2020. During this period, irrigation was concentrated in the Great Plains, creating a surface high-pressure perturbation in that region and a compensating mid-level low-pressure anomaly in the eastern United States. These changes in the large-scale environment affected various properties of Hurricane Isaias. The study underscores the teleconnections between irrigation practices and hurricane behavior.