Pinkrah Nana
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Climate extremes

Collaborative project

Tracking heat and atmospheric dryness in Kentucky

Station-based diagnostics of concurrent high temperature and vapor pressure deficit across Kentucky.

Sanskar Adhikari · Nana Pinkrah · Riley Summers · Benjamin Woodson

Record
2016–2025
Network
Kentucky Mesonet
Time step
Hourly
Threshold
90th percentile

The question

When do high temperatures coincide with unusually high atmospheric moisture demand?

This collaborative project examines compound heat–dryness events using Kentucky Mesonet temperature and relative humidity observations. It focuses on atmospheric dryness, which complements precipitation-based drought metrics.

Data & methods

A closer look at
the approach.

Quality-controlled station observations are used to calculate vapor pressure deficit. Station-specific 90th-percentile thresholds identify concurrent hot and dry conditions, followed by event-frequency, duration, intensity, and seasonality diagnostics.

Findings & context

What the work shows.

  • Local thresholds account for differences in station climatology.
  • Joint temperature and vapor pressure deficit diagnostics identify periods of elevated atmospheric moisture demand.
  • The workflow describes event timing, persistence, and spatial variability across Kentucky.

Collaborative research project.

From the analysis

Research figures.

Select a figure to view it larger.

Workflow for identifying compound heat–dryness events.
FIG. 01Workflow for identifying compound heat–dryness events.
Temperature and vapor pressure deficit thresholds.
FIG. 02Temperature and vapor pressure deficit thresholds.
Seasonal distribution of identified events.
FIG. 03Seasonal distribution of identified events.
Duration and intensity of identified compound events.
FIG. 04Duration and intensity of identified compound events.

Keep exploring

Severe storms & machine learning

Research figure