Research and development within hydrology
SMHI has a long tradition of operational hydrological modelling including forecasts of water discharge, fire hazard, design of dams and dam regulation routines, flood risk, water quality and substance transport and the effects of climate change on hydrology and water quality.
The hydrological research unit is engaged in numerous research projects, commissioned work and continuous development of the SMHI work-flow for hydrological forecasts and assessments. The work is often user-driven and performed in collaboration with external partners in Sweden, Europe or other parts of the world.
In addition, we produce open data from our computational systems and open source codes for hydrological modelling. The unit also has a number of specific scientific focus.
The hydrological research unit has commissions at national and international levels, including IAHS, International Association of Hydrological Sciences, NHF, Nordic Association of Hydrology and SHR, The Swedish Hydrological Council.
Open data – World wide hydrological predictions
Scientific publications from SMHIs hydrological research unit
We publish our research in international peer-reviewed journals and in SMHI reports. The two most recent publications are shown below.
Have you ever seen the rain?
Louise Petersson Wårdh, Hasan Hosseini, Remco Van de Beek, Jafet Andersson, Hossein Hashemi, Jonas Olsson
Future projections of wet and dry spells in southern Sweden
Dong An, Jonas Olsson, Du Yiheng, Johanna Sorensen, Cintia B. Uvo, Peter Berg
Research news
A strategic tripartite partnership to improve flood forecasting in West Africa and the Sahel
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the AGRHYMET Regional Climate Center for West Africa and the Sahel (AGRHYMET CCR-AOS) of the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), and the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) have established a strategic tripartite ...
Flood warning system in place in Denmark – successful collaboration between DMI and SMHI
For three years, SMHI has supported our sister authority DMI in Denmark in developing a Danish warning system for flooding in lakes and rivers. The initiative has now reached a major goal with the launch of a system that has already been useful in connection with the extreme rain that occurred in July 2025, just weeks ...
Satellites and drones contribute to new hydrological data – from the Arctic to Africa
During a week in May hydrologists from SMHI exchanged the Swedish landscapes for African ones, for field work by the Ogun river in Nigeria. The reason was an ongoing research project which develops new methods for hydrological observations in inaccessible areas, with the help of drones and satellites.