How February 2022 redefines extreme floods in Australia
Abstract In February 2022, eastern Australia experienced an extreme flood due to a combination of intense rainfall and close to saturation initial soil water conditions. It resulted in record-breaking water levels and flood volumes, leading to Australia’s largest total insurance claim for a single f...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02307-z |
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| _version_ | 1850272838464831488 |
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| author | Julien Lerat Jai Vaze |
| author_facet | Julien Lerat Jai Vaze |
| author_sort | Julien Lerat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In February 2022, eastern Australia experienced an extreme flood due to a combination of intense rainfall and close to saturation initial soil water conditions. It resulted in record-breaking water levels and flood volumes, leading to Australia’s largest total insurance claim for a single flood event. Here we analyse the physical factors underlying this event and compare them with a large dataset of floods in Australia dating back to 1950. Our findings show that February 2022 had the largest impact on design flood volumes with a 1% annual exceedance probability, which are expected to increase by 16% on average across the affected region. Additionally, this flood prompted major changes in national flood risk management, including upgrades to flood warning networks and a comprehensive review of the flood insurance sector. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5c9758fcf8a04a8ba27f07712ae2a4eb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-5c9758fcf8a04a8ba27f07712ae2a4eb2025-08-20T01:51:41ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-05-01611910.1038/s43247-025-02307-zHow February 2022 redefines extreme floods in AustraliaJulien Lerat0Jai Vaze1CSIRO EnvironmentCSIRO EnvironmentAbstract In February 2022, eastern Australia experienced an extreme flood due to a combination of intense rainfall and close to saturation initial soil water conditions. It resulted in record-breaking water levels and flood volumes, leading to Australia’s largest total insurance claim for a single flood event. Here we analyse the physical factors underlying this event and compare them with a large dataset of floods in Australia dating back to 1950. Our findings show that February 2022 had the largest impact on design flood volumes with a 1% annual exceedance probability, which are expected to increase by 16% on average across the affected region. Additionally, this flood prompted major changes in national flood risk management, including upgrades to flood warning networks and a comprehensive review of the flood insurance sector.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02307-z |
| spellingShingle | Julien Lerat Jai Vaze How February 2022 redefines extreme floods in Australia Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | How February 2022 redefines extreme floods in Australia |
| title_full | How February 2022 redefines extreme floods in Australia |
| title_fullStr | How February 2022 redefines extreme floods in Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | How February 2022 redefines extreme floods in Australia |
| title_short | How February 2022 redefines extreme floods in Australia |
| title_sort | how february 2022 redefines extreme floods in australia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02307-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT julienlerat howfebruary2022redefinesextremefloodsinaustralia AT jaivaze howfebruary2022redefinesextremefloodsinaustralia |