Atmospheric rivers are shifting amid global warming. Here’s what you need to know

A shift in atmospheric rivers can have big effects on local climates.

Atmospheric rivers—those long, narrow bands of water vapor in the sky that bring heavy rain and storms to the U.S. West Coast and many other regions—are shifting toward higher latitudes, and that’s changing weather patterns around the world.

The shift is worsening droughts in some regions, intensifying flooding in others, and putting water resources that many communities rely on at risk. When atmospheric rivers reach far northward into the Arctic, they can also melt sea ice, affecting the global climate.