Image description: River Tees flowing through a forest alongside Barnard Castle, County Durham. Photo by Tom Maclean on Unsplash

Climate change could push UK rivers to dangerous extremes and bring 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).

As part of the study, published in Earth’s Future, 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.

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.

You can read the full study here, or view further coverage in the Guardian here.