The weather has gone off the rails in some of the world’s biggest cities. One moment, they’re bone-dry; the next, they’re underwater. Scientists have a name for this chaotic back-and-forth—“climate whiplash.”
A new report from Water Aid highlights the cities getting hit the hardest. Hangzhou in China, Jakarta in Indonesia, and Dallas in the U.S. are among the worst affected. These places have endured years of extreme droughts followed by catastrophic floods.
Professor Katerina Michaelides from the University of Bristol puts it plainly: Some places that were once reliably wet are drying up, while others are getting hammered by both extremes. There’s no predictable pattern—just a weather system gone haywire.
The study crunched rainfall and evaporation data over the past 44 years for the world’s 100 most populated cities. The results were clear: Climate change isn’t hitting every city the same way. Some are drying out; others are drowning in unpredictable cycles.
In Europe, every major city is shifting toward a drier climate, with Madrid seeing one of the most dramatic changes. Meanwhile, in Asia, cities are disproportionately affected by the whiplash effect. Of the 17 cities identified in the report as experiencing the worst fluctuations, more than half—nine—are in Asia.
Why does this matter? Because cities rely on predictable weather to plan for water supply, agriculture, and infrastructure. When a place swings from severe drought to massive floods, it wrecks stability and makes preparedness nearly impossible.
The problem isn’t just the extremes—it’s the rapid change between them. Infrastructure built for droughts can’t handle floods, and flood defenses don’t help much when there’s no rain for months. This unpredictability is straining cities more than ever.
The findings reinforce one thing: Weather patterns are becoming more erratic, and cities need to prepare. Whether that means better drainage systems, smarter water management, or rethinking city planning altogether, one thing is certain—navigating this new climate reality won’t be easy.
Five Fast Facts
- Hangzhou, China, is home to the world’s longest artificial canal, the Grand Canal, stretching over 1,100 miles.
- Jakarta is sinking at an alarming rate, with some areas expected to be underwater by 2050.
- Dallas-Fort Worth has the largest urban arts district in the U.S., spanning 118 acres.
- Madrid has more trees per capita than any other European city.
- The University of Bristol, where Professor Katerina Michaelides teaches, was the first British university to admit men and women on an equal basis.
