Articles | Volume 23, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-1079-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-1079-2023
Research article
 | 
13 Mar 2023
Research article |  | 13 Mar 2023

Antecedent rainfall as a critical factor for the triggering of debris flows in arid regions

Shalev Siman-Tov and Francesco Marra

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Cited articles

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Short summary
Debris flows represent a threat to infrastructure and the population. In arid areas, they are observed when heavy rainfall hits steep slopes with sediments. Here, we use digital surface models and radar rainfall data to detect and characterize the triggering and non-triggering rainfall conditions. We find that rainfall intensity alone is insufficient to explain the triggering. We suggest that antecedent rainfall could represent a critical factor for debris flow triggering in arid regions.
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