Winter's Revenge: Why Extreme Flooding Events Are Becoming More Frequent

The Mediterranean region, including Greece, is witnessing an alarming increase in extreme flooding events. Climate scientists attribute this trend to several interconnected factors related to climate change. Warmer sea surface temperatures increase evaporation, loading the atmosphere with more moisture that eventually falls as intense precipitation. Changed atmospheric circulation patterns are causing weather systems to stall, dumping massive amounts of rain on localized areas. Urbanization has reduced natural drainage, while deforestation in mountain areas accelerates runoff. Historical flood infrastructure was designed for different climate conditions and is increasingly inadequate. The combination creates a perfect storm: more intense rainfall hitting landscapes less capable of absorbing it, channeled through infrastructure not built to handle such volumes. Experts emphasize the need for updated flood management strategies, nature-based solutions like wetland restoration, and infrastructure upgrades to adapt to the new climate reality.