Northern hardwood forests may be susceptible to increased drought and moisture stress due to climate change.

Climate projections and forest ecosystem models suggest that forest ecosystems may become more water-limited under climate change, due to longer and warmer growing seasons, precipitation changes, earlier snowmelt. Hardwoods on moist, rich soils may be buffered from short-term droughts or seasonal moisture stress, but these forests may suffer on marginal soils. Increased CO2 concentrations may also increase the water-use efficiency of some species, reducing the risk of moisture stress.