Extreme event analysis
Assessment of the risk and frequency of floods, droughts and other extreme hydrological events.
7 people · 7 thesis topics · 11 articles · 13 news stories
People
Joaquín Meza
Eng. MSc, PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Davis, USA
Miguel Lagos
Eng. MSc, PhD in Civil Engineering, Universidad de Chile
Álvaro Ossandón
Eng. MSc, PhD in Civil Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, USA
Isaias Orellana
Topic: Predicción de meteotsunamis con modelo de base física WRF en las costas de la región de Valparaíso y alrededores
Advisor: Joaquín Meza
MSc in Civil Engineering Sciences
Diego Parra
Topic: Modelación horaria de crecidas en cuencas chilenas: evaluación comparativa de modelos hidrológicos y funciones objetivo
Advisor: Álvaro Ossandón, Joaquín Meza
MSc in Civil Engineering Sciences · Graduated
Felipe Saavedra
Topic: Estimación de la precipitación máxima probable (PMP) en la cuenca del río Maipo: un enfoque basado en modelos atmosféricos de base física
Advisor: Joaquín Meza
MSc in Civil Engineering Sciences · Graduated
Ignacio Villavicencio
Topic: Nueva metodología para la estimación de la precipitación máxima probable (PMP): Integración de la teoría de valores extremos y técnicas de agrupamiento
Advisor: Álvaro Ossandón, Joaquín Meza
MSc in Civil Engineering Sciences · Graduated
Thesis topics
Physical modeling of meteotsunamis on the coast of Chile
- Numerical modeling
- Hydrological monitoring and forecasting
- Extreme event analysis
Extending SWEpy to spherical coordinates for far-field tsunami simulations
- Numerical modeling
- Hydrological monitoring and forecasting
- Extreme event analysis
- Surface hydrology
Climate change effects on probable maximum precipitation (PMP) using the WRF model
- Climate change
- Numerical modeling
- Hydrological monitoring and forecasting
- Extreme event analysis
- Surface hydrology
Estimating the probable maximum flood (PMF) in Andean basins by combining atmospheric and surface runoff models
- Climate change
- Numerical modeling
- Extreme event analysis
- Surface hydrology
Using LiDAR sensors to measure the free surface in channels
Testing drone applications for monitoring rivers and channels
- Climate change
- Hydrological monitoring and forecasting
- Extreme event analysis
- Surface hydrology
Estimating river discharge from drone imagery
- Climate change
- Numerical modeling
- Hydrological monitoring and forecasting
- Extreme event analysis
- Surface hydrology
Speeding up flood forecasts with GPU snow energy balance models
- Climate change
- Numerical modeling
- Hydrological monitoring and forecasting
- Extreme event analysis
- Surface hydrology
Articles
Under review
- Submitted
2026
- Samba Siva Sai Prasad Thota; Balaji Rajagopalan; Imtiaz Rangwala; Álvaro OssandónWater Resources Researchdoi:10.1029/2025wr041467 (opens in a new tab)
- Juan Fuenzalida; Danilo Kusanovic; Joaquín Meza; Rodrigo Meneses and Patricio CatalanGeoscientific Model Developmentdoi:10.5194/gmd-19-3953-2026 (opens in a new tab)
2025
- Yusuke Hiraga and Joaquin MezaJournal of Hydrology: Regional Studiesdoi:10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102274 (opens in a new tab)
- Yusuke Hiraga; Ryotaro Tahara and Joaquin MezaJournal of Hydrologydoi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132659 (opens in a new tab)
2024
- Miguel Lagos-Zúñiga; Rocío Balmaceda-Huarte; Pedro Regoto; Limbert Torrez; Matías Olmo; André Lyra; David Pareja-Quispe; María Laura BettolliClimate Dynamicsdoi:10.1007/s00382-022-06598-2 (opens in a new tab)
- Miguel Lagos-Zúñiga; Pablo A. Mendoza; Diego Campos; Roberto RondanelliClimate Dynamicsdoi:10.1007/s00382-024-07127-z (opens in a new tab)
2023
- Natália Machado Crespo; Michelle Simões Reboita; Luiz Felippe Gozzo; Eduardo Marcos de Jesus; José Abraham Torres-Alavez; Miguel Lagos-Zúñiga; Limbert Torrez-Rodriguez; Marco Reale; Rosmeri Porfírio da RochaClimate Dynamicsdoi:10.1007/s00382-022-06419-6 (opens in a new tab)
2019
- Joaquin Meza; Patricio Catalan and Hiroaki TsushimaPure and Applied Geophysicsdoi:10.1007/s00024-019-02381-3 (opens in a new tab)
2014
- Miguel Lagos-Zúñiga; Ximena Vargas M.Hydrological Sciences Journaldoi:10.1080/02626667.2013.877588 (opens in a new tab)
- Miguel Lagos-Zúñiga; Ximena Vargas-MesaTecnología y ciencias del agua
News
Double degree: Diego Parra Vargas
Thesis on hourly flood modeling in Chilean basins. Advisor: Álvaro Ossandón.
From droughts to floods: challenges and opportunities in studying transitions between hydrological extremes
Talk by Eduardo Muñoz Castro, civil engineer and doctoral researcher in hydrology, water resources and climate change.
Megadrought and intense rain: how to anticipate floods
Chile faces a megadrought and ever more intense rainfall. Anticipating the storms takes better monitoring, models and forecasting.
Diploma in flood hazard modeling: all spots taken
All spots in the diploma in flood hazard modeling and assessment have been filled.
Miguel Lagos speaks at a workshop on precipitation extremes
He presented his research on extreme convective events in the subtropical Andes at a workshop organized by Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez (UAI).
Three students win the ANID National Master's Scholarship
Jocelyn Lugo, José María Araya and Catalina Ferrara, with theses on water resources, climate change and artificial intelligence.
Diploma in Flood Hazard Modeling and Assessment under Climate Change
A program for modeling, assessing and managing flood hazards under climate change.
Graduation: Jocelyn Lugo
Thesis on estimating probable maximum precipitation in central Chile. Advisor: Álvaro Ossandón.
New diploma starting in 2026
Diploma in Flood Hazard Modeling and Assessment under Climate Change.