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Volume 12
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10.3390/hydrology12110308
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Flash Drought Assessment: Insights from a Selection of Mediterranean Islands, Greece

by
Chrysoula Katsora
1,*,
Evangelos Leivadiotis
2,
Nektaria Papadopoulou
1,
Isavela Monioudi
1,
Efthymia Kostopoulou
3,
Petros Gaganis
4,
Aris Psilovikos
2 and
Ourania Tzoraki
1,*
1
Coastal Morphodynamics, Coastal Management and Marine Geology Lab, Department of Marine Sciences (DMR), Aegean University, 81100 Mitilini, Greece
2
Laboratory of Ecohydraulics & Inland Water Management, Department of Ichthyology & Aquatic Environment, University of Thessaly, Fytokou St., 38446 Nea Ionia, Greece
3
Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mitilini, Greece
4
Department of Environment, Aegean University, 81100 Mitilini, Greece
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Hydrology 2025, 12(11), 308; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12110308
Submission received: 1 October 2025 / Revised: 12 November 2025 / Accepted: 14 November 2025 / Published: 18 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Hydrology–Climate Interactions)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Flash droughts are a significant natural hazard, characterized by rapid onset and potential to cause substantial economic and environmental impacts. This study utilizes ERA5 soil moisture data to identify and define historical flash drought (FD) events in the Northeastern Aegean islands (specifically Chios, Lemnos, Lesvos and Samos). Hourly soil moisture data, spanning from 1990 to the present, covering three soil layers (0–7 cm, 7–28 cm and 28–100 cm), were analyzed and mapped onto a 0.1° × 0.1° grid with a native resolution of approximately 9 km. Additionally, the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) was applied to the island of Lesvos, using precipitation and average temperature data from the local meteorological stations. The number and characteristics of these events—including frequency, duration, decline rate, magnitude, intensity, recovery rate and recovery duration—were produced to construct a regional overview of FD risk across the Northeastern Aegean Islands. These results reveal a considerable variability in the spatial, seasonal and temporal distribution of past FD events. Furthermore, this study highlights the value of using satellite-derived soil moisture data for identifying FD events and demonstrates that analyzing this data with field temperature and precipitation measurements enables a more localized and accurate interpretation of past events. This approach facilitates the definition of FD “hotspot” areas, which, when combined with further investigation, can lead to the development of a predictive FD model.
Keywords: flash droughts; soil moisture; SPEI; Northeastern Aegean islands; Lesvos flash droughts; soil moisture; SPEI; Northeastern Aegean islands; Lesvos

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Katsora, C.; Leivadiotis, E.; Papadopoulou, N.; Monioudi, I.; Kostopoulou, E.; Gaganis, P.; Psilovikos, A.; Tzoraki, O. Flash Drought Assessment: Insights from a Selection of Mediterranean Islands, Greece. Hydrology 2025, 12, 308. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12110308

AMA Style

Katsora C, Leivadiotis E, Papadopoulou N, Monioudi I, Kostopoulou E, Gaganis P, Psilovikos A, Tzoraki O. Flash Drought Assessment: Insights from a Selection of Mediterranean Islands, Greece. Hydrology. 2025; 12(11):308. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12110308

Chicago/Turabian Style

Katsora, Chrysoula, Evangelos Leivadiotis, Nektaria Papadopoulou, Isavela Monioudi, Efthymia Kostopoulou, Petros Gaganis, Aris Psilovikos, and Ourania Tzoraki. 2025. "Flash Drought Assessment: Insights from a Selection of Mediterranean Islands, Greece" Hydrology 12, no. 11: 308. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12110308

APA Style

Katsora, C., Leivadiotis, E., Papadopoulou, N., Monioudi, I., Kostopoulou, E., Gaganis, P., Psilovikos, A., & Tzoraki, O. (2025). Flash Drought Assessment: Insights from a Selection of Mediterranean Islands, Greece. Hydrology, 12(11), 308. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12110308

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