News
Compound climate extremes in the Mediterranean: from global change to local risk.
- March 24, 2026
- Meteorology and Climatology
A recent study from CEAM Meteorology and Climate reveals how these dynamics are already unfolding in the Western Mediterranean, one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change.
For years, the scientific community has pointed to a clear signal: the Mediterranean is experiencing a sustained increase in the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme events, with direct impacts on ecosystems and society. The challenge is no longer only to understand these phenomena in isolation, but to better capture how they interact as compound and sequential events.
The study shows that droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, and extreme precipitation are becoming increasingly interconnected, reinforcing one another and amplifying their impacts. Extreme events are now more simultaneous, more persistent, and harder to anticipate, with a growing number of days affected by multiple hazards occurring together.
In this context, drought emerges as a key driver, fostering wildfire-prone conditions and often acting as a precursor to intense rainfall events. At the same time, Mediterranean warming and marine heatwaves are reshaping atmospheric processes, increasing the likelihood of extreme rainfall and flooding.
As a result, new localized climate hotspots are emerging, where ocean–atmosphere interactions significantly elevate risk levels.
Climate change is global, but risk materializes at the local scale. At CEAMMeteo, research focuses on these regional and local scales—where climate risk takes shape and where key decisions are made, from fire management to flood prevention—while remaining firmly grounded in a broader Mediterranean and global perspective.
The growing complexity of these phenomena calls for more integrated approaches to improve predictability and strengthen early warning systems, which are essential for adaptation and resilience in the Mediterranean and beyond.
🔗 Full study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41748-026-01053-2
