In recent decades, atmospheric rivers that transport water vapor high above the Earth’s surface have shifted position – a radical change that could have an impact on weather patterns and rainfall across the planet. Scientists at UC Santa Barbara found that atmospheric rivers in both hemispheres have moved approximately 6° to 10° closer to the poles over the past 40 years. This means that the areas affected by atmospheric rivers are farther north in the Northern Hemisphere and farther south in the Southern Hemisphere than they used to be. The researchers explain that an underlying cause of the …