Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Preprints
DOI 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9473769/v1
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Disentangling the anthropogenic climate change influence on recent hydroclimate whiplash events via multiple nudged model simulations
Author Merz, N. ORCID logo ; Zscheischler, J. ORCID logo ; Dunkl, I.; Sippel, S.; Sánchez Benítez, A.; Goessling, H.; John, A.; Feser, F.; Bevacqua, E. ORCID logo
Source Titel Research Square
Year 2026
Department CER
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Abstract Hydroclimate whiplash describes swings between extremely dry and wet conditions. The magnitude and physical drivers of changes in observed whiplash events under global warming remain poorly understood. Here we quantify changes in whiplash intensity for nine high-impact events using the Standardised Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index and a unique multi-model ensemble of wind-nudged storyline simulations. Anthropogenic climate change accounts for 9% of the observed whiplash intensity on average across events, with positive contributions for nearly all events according to the multi-model mean (range: -2 to 72%), and model agreement on the positive contribution for about two-thirds of the events. This climate change contribution is predominantly driven by a non-linear increase in potential evapotranspiration, which strengthens drying more during the dry than the wet phase. Model uncertainty on the magnitude of the climate change contribution is substantial, with an inter-model spread of 13% on average across the events. These results highlight a climate change imprint on observed whiplash events and the need for multiple nudged datasets to robustly attribute complex events.
Merz, N., Zscheischler, J., Dunkl, I., Sippel, S., Sánchez Benítez, A., Goessling, H., John, A., Feser, F., Bevacqua, E. (2026):
Disentangling the anthropogenic climate change influence on recent hydroclimate whiplash events via multiple nudged model simulations
Research Square
10.21203/rs.3.rs-9473769/v1