beyond this general tendency climate change is likely to have impacts of a different nature on the water cycle in different regions of the world notably available climate projections indicate likely increases in mean precipitations at high latitudes as well as at midlatitude wet areas and decreases in summer precipitation in midlatitude and subtropical dry areas ipcc in regions with raindominated catchments enhanced flow seasonality was concluded by various studies implying higher peak flows and decreased low flows and extended dry periods ipcc a eea