Archana, T.R.Vinod, D.Mahesha, A.2026-02-032024Urban Climate, 2024, 58, , pp. -22120955https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2024.102143https://idr.nitk.ac.in/handle/123456789/20843Flash droughts/floods are extreme weather phenomena that are expected to become increasingly frequent and severe with the changing climate. Flash droughts result from a rapid decline in soil moisture, while flash floods occur due to a high extreme rainfall intensity over a short duration. This study analyzes the ERA5 reanalysis data (hourly temperature, soil moisture, and precipitation) from 1992 to 2022 to assess flash drought/flood attribute variations across fourteen Indian cities. Flash drought events are identified based on specific conditions using the obtained Soil Moisture Index (SMI) values. At the same time, we propose a novel approach to attribute flash floods by setting thresholds for precipitation and soil moisture. This study examines the frequency and trends of flash drought and flood events across India's various Köppen-Geiger climatic zones from 1992 to 2022. Jaipur and Dehradun show a statistically significant decrease in flash drought events with magnitudes of ?0.0833 events/year and ?0.0769 events/year, respectively. Conversely, Hyderabad exhibits a highly significant increase in flash flood events with a magnitude of 1.1851 events/year. Similarly, Bengaluru, Varanasi, and Vishakhapatnam also show substantial increases in flash flood events. These findings underscore the impact of climate change on flash droughts/floods, highlighting the necessity for sustainable strategies. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.Climate changeFlash droughtFlash floodMeteorological conditionsModified Mann-Kendall testSoil Moisture Index (SMI)