| description abstract | Droughts cause serious environmental and societal impacts, often aggravated by simultaneously occurring heat waves. Climate and vegetation play key roles in the evolution of drought-associated temperature anomalies, but their relative importance is largely unknown. Here, we present the hottest temperature anomalies during drought in subhumid and tree-dominated regions using observation-based, global data over 2001–15. These anomalies are mainly driven by a drought-related net radiation surplus and further amplified by forests’ water-saving strategies that result in diminished evaporative cooling. By contrast, in semiarid and short-vegetation regions, drought-related temperature increases are smaller. The reduction of evaporative cooling is weak and net radiation increases only marginally due to high albedo over drought-stressed vegetation. Our findings highlight the importance of considering all interacting factors in understanding diverse mechanisms of concurrent drought–heat extremes across different climate regimes. | |
