{
  "abstract": "The study of droughts is undergoing a substantial shift, with increasing interest in understanding flash droughts, droughts characterized by their rapid (i.e., typically < 3–4 weeks) onset. This growing interest is largely driven by the negative impacts of such droughts on agriculture, ecosystems, and the new ecohydrological insights that can be gained. Global studies consistently highlight Australia as one of the continents most affected by flash droughts. Australia is unique in its highly diverse vegetation and the notable resilience of many ecosystems to extreme events. However, much less is known about flash drought patterns and impacts in the Southern Hemisphere, where climate drivers differ, seasonal temperature contrasts are weaker, and vegetation systems are often more strongly influenced by water availability and other biotic and abiotic factors. Australia’s climate is highly variable, and its history of frequent drought events makes it a key region for flash drought research. This article: (i) provides an overview of current knowledge on flash droughts in Australia; (ii) explores key lessons learned from past events; and (iii) identifies critical gaps in understanding. Additionally, we discuss the (iv) future trajectory of flash drought research, focusing on the potential role of climate change and emerging technologies in improving prediction, monitoring and management. By understanding flash droughts more comprehensively, we aim to better inform adaptive strategies for agriculture and ecosystem management in Australia.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Climate Change Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia",
    "ARC Centre of Excellence for Weather of the 21st Century, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia",
    "School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia",
    "National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub, Clayton, Victoria, Australia",
    "CSIRO Environment, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia",
    "Centre for Advanced Modelling and Geospatial Information Systems (CAMGIS), School of Civil, Environmental and Sociotechnical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia",
    "School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia",
    "Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia",
    "Climate Variability and Hazards, CSIRO Environment, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia"
  ],
  "article_type": "Review",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 11,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Abhirup Dikshit"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jason P. Evans"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Pallavi Goswami"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Dejun Cai"
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    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Tim R. McVicar"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Alfredo R. Huete"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Biswajeet Pradhan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Ailie Gallant"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8
      ],
      "name": "Hanh Nguyen"
    },
    {
      "name": "David Hoffmann"
    },
    {
      "name": "Teresa J. Parker"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0thqyy4epkgqv.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pwat.0000628",
  "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/water/article?id=10.1371/journal.pwat.0000628",
  "id": "0thqyy4epkgqv",
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  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2306|Hydrology and Drought Analysis"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Agriculture/Agricultural soil science"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Ecology/Ecosystems"
    ],
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      "/Earth sciences/Atmospheric science/Climatology/Climate change"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Earth sciences/Atmospheric science/Meteorology"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Earth sciences/Atmospheric science/Meteorology/Rain"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Earth sciences/Seasons"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Earth sciences/Soil science/Agricultural soil science"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Ecology and environmental sciences/Drought"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Ecology and environmental sciences/Ecology/Ecosystems"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/People and places/Geographical locations/Oceania/Australia"
    ]
  ],
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  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/water/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pwat.0000628&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-03",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0thqyy4epkgqv.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pwat.0000628",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://journals.plos.org/water/article?id=10.1371/journal.pwat.0000628"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:ecology",
      "subfield": "ecology"
    },
    {
      "field": "earth",
      "origin": "plos:meteorology",
      "subfield": "atmospheric"
    },
    {
      "field": "earth",
      "origin": "plos:climate change",
      "subfield": "climate"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Australian flash drought research: Recent activities and ways forward",
  "title_text": "Australian flash drought research: Recent activities and ways forward",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0thqyy4epkgqv",
  "venue": "PLOS Water",
  "versions": []
}