Notably, definitions of drought based upon rainfall fail to recognize the potential impact of increasing rates of soil evaporation with warming. (realclimate.org)
So it seems quite clear that there is a potential connection, in a statistical sense, between human - caused global warming, declining Arctic sea ice, and the anomalous blocking pattern this winter that has added to other factors we know are tied to human - caused climate change (warmer temperatures and increased soil evaporation, and decreased winter snowpack and freshwater runoff) to produce the unprecedented drought this year in California. (thinkprogress.org)
The long - term simulated water balance components, including transpiration, runoff, soil evaporation, mulch evaporation, drainage and change in soil water, under dryland and irrigated cotton systems with and without cover crops, were compared over a 15 - year period from 2001 - 2015. (sciencedaily.com)