This study analyzes the impact of stratospheric aerosol injections (SAI) as a climate intervention method on atmospheric rivers (ARs) affecting western North America. Using simulations from the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model, the researchers investigate changes in ARs under SAI compared to 2020 conditions and a scenario without intervention. SAI is projected to increase ARs in southern California and decrease them in the Pacific Northwest and coastal British Columbia by the end of the 21st century, primarily due to altered low-level winds. Geoengineering leads to fewer extreme rainfall events and more moderate ones.

Christine A. Shields, Jadwiga H. Richter, Angeline Pendergrass, Simone Tilmes