Local moisture recycling across the globe

Abstract. Changes in evaporation over land affect terrestrial precipitation via atmospheric moisture recycling and, consequently, freshwater availability. Although global at regional and continental scales is relatively well understood, the patterns of local main variables that impact it remain unknown. We calculate ratio (LMR) as fraction evaporated precipitates within a distance 0.5∘ (typically 50 km) its source, identify correlate with globally, study model dependency. derive seasonal annual LMR using 10-year climatology (2008–2017) monthly averaged connections scale obtained from Lagrangian tracking model. find that, annually, an average 1.7 % (SD 1.1 %) returns locally, although large temporal spatial variability, peaks summer wet mountainous regions. Our results show wetness, orography, latitude, convective available potential energy, wind speed, total cloud cover clearly LMR, indicating regions little strong ascending air are particularly favourable for high LMR. Finally, we consistent between different models, yet magnitude varies. can be used to impacts changes on precipitation, implications for, example, regreening water management.