A global analysis of rainfall and rivers by UNSW engineers has discovered a growing pattern of intense flooding in urban areas coupled with drier soils in rural and farming areas.
Thirty-year weather records from 79 locations across Australia reveal peak downpours during storms are intensifying at warmer temperatures, leading to greater flash flood risks.
Dangerous flooding in a future warmer climate may be greater than forecast because of changes to the distribution of rainfall within storms, writes Ashish Sharma and Conrad Wasko.
