Parts of The World Now Have Drought Patterns That Haven't Been Seen in 1,200 Years

According to research published Monday, parts of Portugal and Spain are the driest they have been in a thousand years because of an atmospheric high-pressure system.

Climate trends in western Europe can be affected by the Azores High, an area of high pressure that rotates over parts of the North Atlantic.

The high-pressure system in the North Atlantic has changed dramatically in the past century, according to a new modelling study published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

The study found that the high-pressure system grew to cover a larger area around 200 years ago as human greenhouse gas pollution increased.

In the 20th century it expanded even more.

The authors looked at stalagmites from Portugal and found that the winters in the western Mediterranean have become more dry due to the Azores High.

The authors of the study said that Iberian agriculture would be some of the most vulnerable in Europe if the level of precipitation fell further.

As greenhouse gas levels rise, they warn that the Azores High will expand, leading to an increase in the risk of a dry Iberian Peninsula.

The findings have important implications for projected changes in western Mediterranean hydroclimate.

Wither vines

The study states that the Azores High is a "gatekeeper" for rain into Europe, with dry air descending in the summer months causing hot, arid conditions in Portugal, Spain and the western Mediterranean.

In the winter season, the high-pressure system swells, sending winds that carry rain inland.

The winter rain is important for both the ecological and economic health of the region.

While previous research had not untangled the effects of natural variability on the Azores High, the authors said their findings show that it is related to the rise of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.

The area suitable for grape growing in the Iberian Peninsula could shrink by at least a quarter due to severe water shortages, according to a study.

Researchers predict a 30 percent drop in olive production in southern Spain by the year 2200.

In order to adapt to the changing climate, winemakers are looking for ways to move vineyards to higher altitudes and experiment with more heat tolerant varieties.

Climate change made a spring frost that ravaged grape vines in France more likely, with the plants budding earlier and therefore more vulnerable to damage.

Agence France- Presse.