Warning that global water cycle is harder to predict

EARTH'S water cycle is becoming more difficult to predict as the climate changes, UN scientists have warned.

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Last year was the sixth in a row to show an erratic cycle and the third where all glacier regions reported ice loss, according to the World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO) state of global water resources report for 2024, released on Thursday.

The international group of scientists assessed freshwater availability and water storage across the world, including lakes, river flow, groundwater, soil moisture, snow cover and ice melt.

While 2024 was generally a dry and hot year, featuring record-breaking temperatures driven by the warming El Nino weather phenomenon, it also saw significant flooding events, the scientists said.

They found that around 60% of rivers globally showed either too much or too little water compared to the average flow per year.