The South American monsoon is approaching a critical transition due to deforestation, which may be causing the Amazon rainforest to dry out. Research suggests that this drying could be an early warning sign of a potential "tipping point" for the rainforest, with some studies indicating a link between forest degradation and monsoon circulation. The exact implications and timing of these changes are being studied, with various models and approaches being used to understand the relationship between deforestation and the monsoon.