HS
Hydrological Sciences

Precipitation & climate

September 2024 Flooding in Central Europe: The Austrian Experience

September 2024 Flooding in Central Europe: The Austrian Experience

Storm Boris is the latest in a series of deluges during one of Europe’s most flood-prone periods in 500 years, yet Vienna managed to avoid major damage. The city’s preparations may offer valuable lessons for other urban areas facing similar challenges.  Dealing With Record Rainfall: September 2024 in Vienna When record rainfall hit Vienna on September 15, the impact was severe: submerged roa ...[Read More]

Using rainy day temperatures to predict the future of 100-year downpours

Using rainy day temperatures to predict the future of 100-year downpours

It’s hard to overstate the importance of so-called “rainfall frequency analysis,” or the estimation of rare rainfall probabilities such as the 100-year storm. Billions of euros worth of infrastructure and planning decisions are made every year around the world based on such statistics.  Unfortunately, extreme short-duration rainfall—meaning very high rainfall rates over a few minutes to a few hour ...[Read More]

May the year-end be Exceptional, not only hydrologically!

May the year-end be Exceptional, not only hydrologically!

What a hydrological year it has been!  From the winter drought and flash floods detailed in Matano and Avanzi‘s blog post to the remarkably warm and wet November 2023, Europe has witnessed a range of extraordinary weather phenomena. In the Alpine region, the convergence of warm and wet weather resulted in numerous rain-on-snow events (see eg. the streamflow recording below), offering valuabl ...[Read More]