A recent study by Dr E Deng, CEE Research Fellow, and Prof. Yi-Qing Ni, Chair Professor of CEE, has been published in Nature Communications. The article, titled “Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Extends Inland”, explores the global landward extension of tropical cyclone rainfall and its implications for inland flood risk.
The study demonstrates that tropical cyclone rainfall has extended inland globally from 1980 to 2023. Along the continental coasts of the Northern Hemisphere, the landward extent of tropical cyclone heavy rainfall has increased at a rate of 3.8 ± 1.8 km per decade (95% CI). Observations and model simulations suggest that nearshore sea-surface temperature warming is closely linked to this extension. Coastal urbanization may further enhance this trend. As coastal cities continue to extend inland, the landward extension of tropical cyclone heavy rainfall could exacerbate inland population exposure and potential flood risk.
Nature Communications is an open access, multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research in all areas of the biological, health, physical, chemical, Earth, social, mathematical, applied, and engineering sciences. Papers published by the journal aim to represent important advances of significance to specialists within each field.
This research is supported by the Research Grants Council Theme-based Research Scheme (Grant No. T22-501/23-R).
Review the full article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-70647-1
