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Climate Change Impacts on Hydrological Extremes in China

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers from the China University of Geosciences Wuhan have conducted a study on the impacts of climate change on hydrological extremes in mainland China. The research, published in the International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, analyzed precipitation anomalies and percentage of precipitation anomalies across mainland China from April to August 2024. The study revealed that severe droughts, floods, and abrupt drought-to-flood transitions were exacerbated by the significant changes in terrestrial water storage caused by these extreme precipitation events.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that in 2024, China experienced frequent and severe hydrological extremes, including record-breaking rainfall and widespread droughts, reflecting the intensifying impacts of climate change.
  • The research defined and applied the terrestrial water flux (TWF) as a diagnostic indicator of short-term hydrological variability, which is the difference of GRACE/GRACE-FO-derived TWS anomalies in two adjacent months.
  • The grids with TWF percentiles within the 0-10th and 90-100th ranges accounted for 36.52%, 46.22%, 44.79%, and 46.48% of the total grids from April to August in China, showing that increased TWF was primarily driven by meteorological factors rather than GRACE-FO data uncertainties.
  • The study demonstrated the effectiveness of TWF in capturing rapid hydrological changes under climate extremes.
  • The findings provided critical insights into the impacts of climate change on regional hydrological processes and offered a valuable reference for future climate risk management and adaptation strategies.

Statistics:

  • 36.52% of grids had TWF percentiles within the 0-10th range.
  • 46.22% of grids had TWF percentiles within the 90-100th range.
  • 44.79% of grids had TWF percentiles close to the 50th percentile.
  • 19.89% of grids had the maximum TWF value in 2024.
  • The grids with TWF percentiles within the 0-10th and 90-100th ranges respectively accounted for 46.48% of the total grids from April to August in China.

Sources:

  • Significant Variations In Terrestrial Water Flux In Mainland China During 2024 Using Grace-fo: Impacts of Extreme Climate Events. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 2025;144.
  • Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation - www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-applied-earth-observation-and-geoinformation/
  • NewsRx. Researchers from China University of Geosciences Wuhan Provide Details of New Studies and Findings in the Area of Climate Change (Significant Variations In Terrestrial Water Flux In Mainland China During 2024 Using Grace-fo: Impacts of Extreme ...). Global Warming Focus. November 3, 2025; p 374.

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