Recently, researchers calculated that the eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apa spewed a staggering 50 million tons (45 million metric tons) of water vapor into the atmosphere, in addition to enormous quantities of ash and volcanic gases.

This massive vapor injection increased the amount of moisture in the global stratosphere by about 5 percent, and could trigger a cycle of stratospheric cooling and surface heating – and these effects may persist for months to come, according to a new study.

The blast extended for 162 miles (260 kilometers) and sent pillars of ash, steam, and gas soaring more than 12 miles (20 km) into the air, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

But unlike Pinatubo (and most big volcanic eruptions, which happen on land), underwater Tonga's volcanic plumes sent "substantial amounts of water" into the stratosphere, the zone that extends from around 31 miles (50 km) above Earth's surface down to around 4 to 12 miles (6 to 20 km), according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Atmospheric water vapor absorbs solar radiation and re-emits it as heat; with tens of millions of tons of Tonga's moisture now adrift in the stratosphere, Earth's surface will be heating up – though it's unclear by how much, according to the study.