A new international study co-authored by Georgia Destouni, Professor of Hydrology and Water Resources at Stockholm University, Affiliated Professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and a faculty member of Digital Futures, reveals major global gaps in precipitation monitoring that limit our ability to assess climate change impacts.
Published 25 March, 2026 in Nature under the title “Precipitation observing network gaps limit climate change impact assessment”, the research examines more than 221,000 precipitation gauges worldwide, with data spanning 1900–2022. The findings show that only about 13% of the Earth’s land surface meets the monitoring standards set by the World Meteorological Organization, highlighting a significant shortfall in reliable rainfall and snowfall observations.
The study demonstrates that monitoring networks are highly unevenly distributed. While Europe has the highest density overall—and countries like Germany stand out with particularly strong coverage—many regions across northern South America, Central Africa, southern Asia, and parts of North America lack sufficient data to track trends in water availability, droughts, and floods.
“Without sufficient precipitation observations, we are effectively trying to understand and predict water-related risks with large blind spots,” says Georgia Destouni. “Strengthening monitoring networks and ensuring open access to data are critical steps if we are to realistically assess climate change impacts on water resources and support informed decision-making worldwide.”
The researchers identify that around a quarter of the world’s land area urgently needs expanded monitoring, a figure that could rise further as climate change and socio-economic pressures intensify. Key regions for future investment include India, Greenland, Bolivia, and China.
The authors emphasize that improving precipitation monitoring and ensuring open access to data are essential for understanding climate impacts on water resources, agriculture, energy systems, and disaster risk worldwide.
