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Analysis of Dew under Different Climate Changes

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A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Meteorology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 14261

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Dr. Daniel Beysens

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Guest Editor

Physique et Mécanique des Milieux Hétérogènes, CNRS, ESPCI Paris-PSL University, Sorbonne Université, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France
Interests: phase transition; condensation; dew formation; dew chemistry; dew biology

Prof. Dr. Marc Muselli

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Guest Editor

Paolitech Engineering School, Università di Corsica Pasquale Paoli, Avenue du 9 Septembre, BP 52, 20250 Corte, France
Interests: dew formation; dew chemistry; condensation; renewable energy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change is known to greatly modify precipitation (rain, fog, etc.) on Earth. These changes, however, should also affect various meteorological factors that lead to the formation and quality of dew, such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, cloud cover, etc. These modifications can thus lead to either dew reduction or enhancement, depending on their relative importance and the considered regions of Earth. The chemical and isotopic characteristics of dew can be also affected. These meteorological factors can be made available in, e.g., the extrapolation of past existing data and/or considering the different low and high emissions representative concentration pathway scenarios.

This Special Issue will therefore address the physical, chemical, isotopic and biological modifications of dew due to the expected evolution of the meteorological factors and evaluate their impact in various regions of the world. The issue will be concerned with all analyses that are concerned with these potential changes in dew formation and characteristics, on fundamental or applied bases, as well as their implication in different regions and different climates on Earth.

Dr. Daniel Beysens
Prof. Dr. Marc Muselli
Guest Editors

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Keywords

dew and climate change
dew formation
dew chemistry
dew isotopes
dew biology
dew/rain contributions

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2061 KB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Dew Analysis Through Multifractal Formalism and Hurst Exponent Under African Climate Conditions

by Gnonyi N’Kaina Mawinesso, Noukpo Médard Agbazo, Guy Hervé Houngue and Koto N’Gobi Gabin

Atmosphere 2026, 17(4), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17040375 - 7 Apr 2026

Viewed by 432

Abstract

Dew constitutes a component of the near-surface water balance, but its large-scale fractal dynamical properties remain poorly documented across Africa. This study estimates dew amounts and investigates their fractal and multifractal behavior under African climatic conditions using gridded ERA5 datasets from 1993 to 2022. The Rescaled-Range (R/S) method, Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (MFDFA), and the Improved Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (ICEEMDAN) algorithm are used. Hurst exponent (Hu) and the multifractal spectrum width (ω) are evaluated at daily and monthly scales over the full period and two sub-periods (1993–2007 and 2008–2022). The results reveal pronounced spatial heterogeneity in dew distribution. Daily mean amounts range between 0 and 0.18 mm, corresponding to annual accumulations reaching up to ~85 mm·yr⁻¹ in humid coastal, equatorial, and sub-equatorial regions, while remaining below 0.5 mm·yr⁻¹ in hyper-arid deserts. The continental mean annual amount is ~35.5 mm·yr⁻¹. The Hurst exponent exhibits values between zero and one, indicating region-dependent persistent and anti-persistent behaviors. This suggests that prediction schemes based on preceding values may be suitable for dew time series prediction in African regions exhibiting persistent characteristics. The multifractal spectrum width (ω), reaching values of up to 10, highlights strong scaling heterogeneity, particularly at the monthly timescale. These findings indicate that African dew dynamics exhibit significant long-range dependence and multifractal variability, providing new insights into the intrinsic temporal structure of dew and into appropriate approaches for its forecasting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Dew under Different Climate Changes)

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14 pages, 1314 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Neighboring Objects on Non-Rainfall Water

by Giora J. Kidron and Rafael Kronenfeld

Atmosphere 2026, 17(4), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17040347 - 30 Mar 2026

Viewed by 333

Abstract

With non-rainfall water (NRW), principally dew and fog, serving as an important water source, especially in arid and semiarid regions, factors that may increase the NRW yield may have important hydrological and ecological consequences. On the other hand, dew and fog may also have hazardous effect on inorganic and human-made materials that may undergo corrosion and/or degradation. It has long been noted that dew and fog are affected by neighboring objects, the effect of which was, however, only barely explored. Hypothesizing that it may principally be linked to the sky view factor (SVF) (determining, in turn, substrate temperature and heat flow) and, therefore, to the angle that is formed between the collecting substrate and the height of the neighboring objects, a set of square boxes (30 × 30 or 60 × 60 cm) was constructed. The boxes had variable heights, forming angles of 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 75° between 6 × 6 × 0.1 cm cloth attached to a substratum (10 × 10 × 0.2 cm glass plate overlying 10 × 10 × 0.5 cm plywood) at the center of each box and the top walls of the box. NRW that accumulated at the cloths was compared with cloths placed in the open, serving as control. Another set served to measure the plate temperatures. A clear decrease in NRW, with an angle corresponding to a third-degree polynomial equation, was found (r² = 0.998). Taking 0.1 mm as the threshold for vapor condensation (dew), and taking the average maximal NRW as measured for two years in the Negev (0.20 mm), angles of ≥45° will suffice to impair condensation. However, with the projected decrease in NRW with global warming, even angles of ≥30° may impair condensation in 1–2 decades. While it may decrease the dew amounts and subsequently negatively affect the vegetation in forest clearings and wadis or canyons, it may decrease the exposure of construction materials to corrosion and/or degradation, thus exerting a positive effect on construction materials in urban settings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Dew under Different Climate Changes)

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14 pages, 1559 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Investigating Dew Trends and Drivers Using Ground-Based Meteorological Observations at the Namib Desert

by Sara Javanmardi, Na Qiao, Eugene Marais and Lixin Wang

Atmosphere 2025, 16(11), 1257; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16111257 - 31 Oct 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1211

Abstract

In arid environments such as the Namib Desert, non-rainfall water sources—including dew and fog—constitute indispensable yet understudied components of the regional hydrological cycle. These moisture inputs play a critical role in sustaining ecological functionality and biogeochemical processes, but remain among the least quantified facets of desert ecohydrology. The present study investigates multi-year trends in morning dew formation within the Namib Desert, utilizing observations from the Gobabeb–Namib Research Institute between 2015 and 2022. Meteorological data from the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL), in conjunction with direct field observations of dew, were used to develop an empirical equation to estimate dew occurrence. A sensitivity analysis verified the robustness of this formulation, and subsequent validation using field data confirmed its reliability (84.84% accuracy). During this eight-year period, the annual number of days with morning dew decreased from 170 in 2015 to 140 in 2022, representing an overall decline of approximately 18%. However, the total daily dew occurrence across 24 h remained relatively constant, indicating that the observed decline is confined primarily to morning condensation events. Dew formation was most prevalent during the wet season (December–May). Both monthly and annual analyses revealed a discernible declining trend in morning dew occurrence across this hyperarid ecosystem (p < 0.05). This decline corresponded with a gradual increase in both air and soil temperatures (approximately +0.03 °C yr⁻¹) and a slight but consistent decrease in relative humidity (approximately −0.26% yr⁻¹) between 2015 and 2022. The principal drivers of this decline include rising soil and air temperatures and decreasing atmospheric humidity. The analysis further identified an inverse relationship between air temperature and dew formation, implying that climatic warming intensifies evaporative demand and thereby suppresses dew condensation. Random forest analysis identified soil temperature, air temperature, and relative humidity as the most important predictors influencing dew occurrence, whereas wind speed and direction played lesser roles. Collectively, these findings underscore the vulnerability of dew-dependent ecosystems to anthropogenic climate change and highlight the imperative to continue investigating non-rainfall moisture dynamics in desert environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Dew under Different Climate Changes)

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19 pages, 2251 KB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Influence of Topography on Dew Amount—A Case Study of Hilly and Gully Regions in the Loess Plateau, China

by Zhifeng Jia, Hao Liu and Yan Ma

Atmosphere 2025, 16(9), 1098; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16091098 - 18 Sep 2025

Viewed by 1251

Abstract

Dew is an important water source for vegetation growth in arid regions and plays a significant role in maintaining ecosystem balance. The characteristics of dew formation vary under different topographic conditions. In response to the challenges posed by climate change to the sustainability of water resources and ecosystems, this study explored the impact of topography on dew formation, and leaf wetness sensors (LWSs) were employed to conduct field observations from April 2023 to April 2025 in typical hilly and gully regions of China’s Loess Plateau. We analyzed the characteristics, influencing factors, and ecological significance of near-surface water vapor condensation. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) During the observation period, dew primarily occurred between 19:00 and 07:00 the next day, peaking between 05:30 and 07:00 in the early morning. The monthly average dew amounts for the hilly region and gully region were 2.15 mm and 3.38 mm, respectively, and the monthly maximum dew amounts were 8.57 mm and 11.88 mm, respectively, both peaking in autumn, with the gully region exhibiting higher dew amounts. (2) Dew formation at a 0.2 m height was favored when relative humidity at 0.2 m exceeded 70%, the air temperature–dew point difference was less than 8 °C, the wind direction was between 150 and 210° and 240 and 270° for the hilly region and gully region, respectively, and the standardized wind speed at a 10 m height was less than 0.5 m/s and 1.5 m/s for the hilly region and gully region, respectively. (3) Moderate rainfall facilitates dew condensation. The monthly average dew-to-precipitation (dew and rain) ratio reached its maximum in November for both the Loess hilly region and gully region, at 12.88% and 18.91%, respectively. (4) The gully region experienced larger dew events more frequently than the hilly region, resulting in a higher overall dew amount in the gully region during the observation period. The dew formation characteristics observed in this study can provide a scientific basis for assessing the future supply potential of non-precipitation water sources in the Loess Plateau under climate change and their supporting role in the ecological environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Dew under Different Climate Changes)

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25 pages, 5889 KB

Open AccessArticle

Evolution of Dew and Rain Water Resources in Gujarat (India) between 2005 and 2021

by Rupal Budhbhatti, Anil K. Roy, Marc Muselli and Daniel Beysens

Atmosphere 2024, 15(8), 989; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080989 - 17 Aug 2024

Viewed by 3166

Abstract

The present study, carried out in Gujarat (India) between 2005 and 2021, aims to prepare dew and rain maps of Gujarat over a long period (17 years, from 2005 to 2021) in order to evaluate the evolution of the potential for dew and rain in the state. The ratio of dew to precipitation is also determined, which is an important metric that quantifies the contribution of dew to the overall water resources. Global warming leads, in general, to a reduction in precipitation and non-rainfall water contributions such as dew. The study shows, however, a rare increase in the rainfall and dew condensation, with the latter related to an increase in relative humidity and a decrease in wind amplitudes. Rain primarily occurs during the monsoon months, while dew forms during the dry season. Although dew alone cannot resolve water scarcity, it nonetheless may provide an exigent and unignorable contribution to the water balance in time to come. According to the site, the dew–rain ratios, which are also, in general, well correlated with dew yields, can represent between 4.6% (Ahmedabad) and 37.2% (Jamnagar). The positive trend, observed since 2015–2017, is expected to continue into the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Dew under Different Climate Changes)

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25 pages, 6303 KB

Open AccessArticle

Dew and Rain Evolution from Climate Change in Semi-Arid South-Western Madagascar between 1991 and 2033 (Extrapolated)

by Adriana Rasoafaniry, Marc Muselli and Daniel Beysens

Atmosphere 2024, 15(7), 784; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15070784 - 29 Jun 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2301

Abstract

In the context of global warming and the increasing scarcity of fresh water resources, it becomes significant to evaluate the contribution and evolution of non-rainfall waters such as dew. This study therefore aims to evaluate the relative dew and rain contributions in three sites of south-western of Madagascar (Ifaty, Toliara, and Andremba), a semi-arid region which suffers from a strong water deficit. The studied period is 1/1991–7/2023, with extrapolation to 7/2033. Dew is calculated from meteo data by using a well-established energy model. The extrapolation of dew and rain follows an artificial neural network approach. It is found that dew forms regularly (2–3 days on average between events), in contrast to rain (10–15 days). The evolutions of dew and rain are similar, with an increase from 1991 to 2000, a decrease up to 2020 and a further increase until 2033. These oscillations follow the Indian Ocean dipole variations and should be influenced by climate change. Dew contributions to the water balance remain modest on a yearly basis (3–4%) but is important during the dry season (Apr.–Oct.), up to 30%. Dew therefore appears to be a reliable and sustainable resource for plants, small animals, and the population, especially during droughts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Dew under Different Climate Changes)

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20 pages, 9766 KB

Open AccessArticle

Re-Engineering Dew-Harvesting Cactus Macrostructures to Enhance Water Collection as an Adaptive Climate Change Strategy: An Experimental Comparison

by Tegwen Malik, David Gethin, Frederic Boy, Gareth Davies and Andrew Parker

Atmosphere 2023, 14(12), 1736; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14121736 - 25 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4059

Abstract

The spinal structures found on Copiapoa cinerea var. haseltoniana, an efficient dew-harvesting cactus, were fabricated and evaluated both in a climate chamber and outdoors in dewy conditions. A mix of aluminium and steel was used to fabricate these surfaces, with aluminium being used for everything but the replicated spine features, which were constructed from steel. Each surface was entirely coated with a highly emissive paint containing an alumina–silicate OPUR additive. Three replica versions (stem only, spine only, and stem & spine) were compared to a flat planar reference surface. Experimental results demonstrated that all three biomimetic macro-structured surfaces significantly enhanced dew harvesting compared to the reference surface. It was established that the stem & spine replica, spine replica, and stem replica all demonstrated significantly more dew harvesting, with mean efficiency ratios in respect of the reference surface of 1.08 ± 0.03, 1.08 ± 0.02, and 1.02 ± 0.01, respectively. Furthermore, the method of surface water collection was found to influence the water collection rate. The diagonal run-off flow across a flat planar surface was 34% more efficient than the parallel run-off flow on the same surface. These findings provide valuable insights for the construction and installation of biomimetic-inspired dew-harvesting devices, particularly in regions that are most challenged by decreasing dew yields as a result of climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Dew under Different Climate Changes)

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