Increasing frequency and intensity of single, multiple and concurrent meteorological hazards in Europe from a high-resolution dataset (1961-2020)

By employing a high-resolution reanalysis dataset this study showed that single, multi- and concurrent extreme events have been increasing in both frequency and intensity in Europe in the last decades. In Europe, the impact, in terms of annual economic loss, of wildfires can reach more than 20 billion Euros when including indirect economic effects (Gomez et al 2025). However, the impact on forests of fire weather conditions, especially when concurrently accompanied by dry and hot events, varies greatly. The analysis presented in this study is useful for raising awareness about the increasing risk of multiple and concurrent meteorological extreme events and, hence, to assess the impact of compound events.

The results of the study advocate for preparedness and adequate adaptation strategies. To this extent, the use of a reanalysis dataset with a spatial resolution adequate for informing decision-making at local (e.g. urban) scales, is particularly useful. The results can also be used to test the ability of the next generation of high and very high resolution climate models in reproducing past observed trends in extreme events, their interaction and compound effects.