Earth System Dynamics
Earth System Dynamics
ESD
Articles | Volume 17, issue 3
Articles | Volume 17, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-17-695-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-17-695-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 17, issue 3
Research article
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 | 
12 Jun 2026
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 12 Jun 2026

Atmospheric river trajectories organise along a global transport network

Tobias Braun, Sara M. Vallejo-Bernal, Norbert Marwan, Juergen Kurths, Johannes Quaas, Albert Díaz-Guilera, Luis Gimeno, and Miguel D. Mahecha

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Latest update: 12 Aug 2026
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Editorial statement
Atmospheric Rivers transport vast amounts of water vapor and are often associated with weather extremes. This paper shows that Atmospheric Rivers organise along a sparse set of preferred pathways, forming a global network. Such a perspective can lead to improved forecasts of extreme precipitation, droughts and polar ice melt under climate change.
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Short summary
Atmospheric rivers (ARs) move vast amounts of water through the atmosphere and often cause weather extremes, yet they are usually studied as regional events. Using 84 years of mapped AR trajectories, we reveal the global "roadmap" of ARs, a transport network of high-activity hubs, sparse atmospheric highways & hierarchical basins. Our approach shows how water vapor is systematically channelled through an atmospheric transport network, offering new ways to study changes in the global water cycle.
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