Main points
- Flooding on most rivers in Ukraine is predicted to be within normal limits or below.
- Above-average levels are possible on small rivers in the Kharkiv region and tributaries of the Southern Bug.
- On 4–6 March, water levels are expected to rise by 0.1–0.4 m in several basins.
- Level I danger — yellow — has been declared in some regions.
- Warm weather without precipitation will continue in the coming days.
The 2026 flood season on most rivers in Ukraine is predicted to be within or below the long-term average. Water levels may rise on small rivers in the Kharkiv region and on the tributaries of the Southern Bug, where levels may exceed the norm.
This was announced during a briefing at the Ukraine Media Centre by Viktoria Kornienko, head of the hydrological forecasting department at the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Centre. According to her, spring hydrological processes are already being observed on the rivers. A gradual rise in water levels prevails. No significant changes in weather conditions are forecast in the near future, and water processes will continue in their natural seasonal pattern.
Due to snowmelt, water may overflow onto floodplains in certain regions. These include Volyn, Lviv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kyiv regions. Hydrologists are recording increased flow in small and medium-sized watercourses.
Between 4 and 6 March, water levels may rise by 0.1–0.4 metres on the Southern Bug River and its tributaries, in the Pripyat basin, on some rivers in the Western Bug basin, and on the Inhul and Tiligul rivers. Flooding is likely in the Vinnytsia region. In the Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Odesa, and Mykolaiv regions, water is expected to remain on the floodplains. A level I danger warning (yellow) has been issued for these areas.
Ice conditions on rivers continue to weaken, with ice drift observed in some places. According to weather forecasters, warm weather without precipitation will continue in the coming days, which will contribute to the further development of spring flooding.
Hydrologists advise monitoring forecast updates, as the situation on water bodies depends on temperature conditions and the intensity of snowmelt.
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