Hydroclimate Extremes in Monsoon-Dominated Regions: Hydrological Impacts and Water Security

Monsoon systems regulate the water cycles of over half the global population, shaping seasonal variability in rainfall, flooding, droughts and resulting compound and cascading hazards across South and Southeast Asia, tropical Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Under accelerating climate change, these systems are undergoing fundamental shifts, including changes in monsoon onset and storm patterns, storm translation characteristics, intensified extreme precipitation, and increasing frequencies of both floods and droughts. These shifts directly alter basin-scale hydrology, leading to rapid changes in runoff, river flow regimes, and groundwater recharge. At the same time, the communities most exposed to these changes are among the world’s most water-stressed, where failure to manage and adapt to extreme hydrological events translates directly into food insecurity, displacement, and loss of life.This Research Topic aims to consolidate emerging understanding of how shifting monsoon dynamics impact hydrological systems, and what these changes mean for local and regional water security. Despite progress in observational networks and hydrological modeling, critical gaps remain in quantifying how altered monsoon precipitation translates into localized flood risks, aquifer depletion, and water system vulnerability. By bringing together contributions from catchment hydrology, water resources engineering, remote sensing, and water management, this collection seeks to advance both fundamental understanding and practical applications. We particularly encourage work that bridges the gap between hydrological science and water security outcomes—connecting the physical impacts of extreme events to the communities, sectors, and governance systems that must respond and adapt to them.We invite submissions of original research articles, review papers, and perspectives addressing, but not limited to:- Hydrological impacts of changing monsoon dynamics on river discharge, catchment-scale runoff, groundwater recharge, and flood/drought frequency, with an emphasis on densely populated river basins.- Water security implications of shifting monsoon extremes for agricultural systems, drinking water supply, reservoir operations, and critical water infrastructure resilience.- Assessment of changes in monsoon-driven extreme precipitation, severe flooding, and prolonged drought intensity and hydroclimatic whiplash under observed and projected warming scenarios.- Assessment of changes in tropical cyclones and monsoon depressions and their cascading impacts across densely populated and highly invested coastal regions.- Statistical and process-based hydrological modeling approaches for characterizing nonstationarity in monsoon-driven basin responses and water resources availability.- Water management and adaptation strategies designed to mitigate the socio-economic vulnerabilities of monsoon-driven extremes in urban and rural environments.- Regional case studies focusing on hydrological vulnerability and water security challenges across South Asia, Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, the Australian monsoon zone, and the Americas. Topic editors: Poulomi Ganguli, Nanditha J S, Somnath Mondal Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82327/hydroclimate-extremes-in-monsoon-dominated-regions-hydrological-impacts-and-water-security