Jun 17, 2026 08:46 PM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1132140
EXCERPTS: Climate change could push UK rivers to dangerous extremes and see more frequent rapid swings between wet and dry conditions - a phenomenon known as hydroclimatic whiplash - according to research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Researchers analysed almost 700 river catchments across the UK to project how river flows may change at 2°C and 4°C of global warming. The results reveal stark regional contrasts and growing challenges for communities and water managers trying to plan for flood and drought risk - particularly in areas that will increasingly experience both.
Publishing their findings today in the journal Earth’s Future, the authors also warn of more intense river flooding during extreme rainfall events in western and northern parts of the UK and longer dry spells and lower river flows in southern and eastern England, regions that are already water‑stressed.
The authors say the findings underscore the need for regionally tailored adaptation, including enhanced flood-risk management and greater capacity to store water during wetter periods in western and northern parts of the UK, and strengthened water-supply resilience and demand management in southern and eastern England.
[...] Dry-to-wet hydroclimatic whiplash - sudden shifts from dry to wet conditions - may increase the risk of flash flooding, water quality deterioration and soil erosion, while wet-to-dry shifts can make drought planning harder because preceding wet conditions may create a false sense of security before a rapid move into drought.
Projected changes under both 2°C and 4°C warming scenarios show widespread increases in the frequency of both types of whiplash events. For dry-to-wet whiplash, increases are projected across most of the UK. In some catchments, the number of events rises from around four over a 30-year period in the 1981–2010 baseline to around seven to nine under 4°C warming.
Overall, stronger increases can be observed in South Wales, Northern Ireland, Northern and Western England and parts of southeast England... (MORE - no ads)
EXCERPTS: Climate change could push UK rivers to dangerous extremes and see more frequent rapid swings between wet and dry conditions - a phenomenon known as hydroclimatic whiplash - according to research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Researchers analysed almost 700 river catchments across the UK to project how river flows may change at 2°C and 4°C of global warming. The results reveal stark regional contrasts and growing challenges for communities and water managers trying to plan for flood and drought risk - particularly in areas that will increasingly experience both.
Publishing their findings today in the journal Earth’s Future, the authors also warn of more intense river flooding during extreme rainfall events in western and northern parts of the UK and longer dry spells and lower river flows in southern and eastern England, regions that are already water‑stressed.
The authors say the findings underscore the need for regionally tailored adaptation, including enhanced flood-risk management and greater capacity to store water during wetter periods in western and northern parts of the UK, and strengthened water-supply resilience and demand management in southern and eastern England.
[...] Dry-to-wet hydroclimatic whiplash - sudden shifts from dry to wet conditions - may increase the risk of flash flooding, water quality deterioration and soil erosion, while wet-to-dry shifts can make drought planning harder because preceding wet conditions may create a false sense of security before a rapid move into drought.
Projected changes under both 2°C and 4°C warming scenarios show widespread increases in the frequency of both types of whiplash events. For dry-to-wet whiplash, increases are projected across most of the UK. In some catchments, the number of events rises from around four over a 30-year period in the 1981–2010 baseline to around seven to nine under 4°C warming.
Overall, stronger increases can be observed in South Wales, Northern Ireland, Northern and Western England and parts of southeast England... (MORE - no ads)