BLACKSBURG, Va., April 6 -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University issued the following news release:
Research at a glance
In Puerto Rico, drought doesn't always arrive slowly. Sometimes, it appears in days.
That speed can leave producers scrambling, reservoirs dropping, and communities facing water restrictions before they can react. In a place often associated with heavy rain and hurricanes, drought is often overlooked, but very much a reality.
New research from Virginia Tech is helping explain why.
Scientists in the College of Natural Resources and Environment have identified a key atmospheric shift that can trigger "flash droughts" across Puerto Rico. Their findings show how conditions can flip rapidly from wet to dry,...