Temporal and spatial variability of dryness/wetness in China during the last 530 years

Summary The main characteristics of spatial and temporal variability of dryness and wetness during the last 530 years (1470–1999) are classified over five centuries. They have been investigated by using 100-site dryness/wetness index data that has recorded the historical weather conditions that affect agriculture and living conditions in eastern China. A set of principal modes of spatial variability and time coefficient series describing the dominant temporal variability are extracted by a diagnostic method, the rotated empirical orthogonal function (REOF) analysis. The long-term precipitation around Beijing, north China and the long-term runoffs in the middle Yangtze River are used to confirm the dry/wet variability in north China and the mid-low Yangtze River over the last two centuries.When considering the data from the last 530 years as a whole, the first two modes of dryness/wetness variability are found in the mid to low sections of two major valleys in eastern China, the Yellow and Yangtze River valleys. These valleys experienced the largest dryness/wetness variability in the history of eastern China. The third and fourth modes are located in northwest and northeast China. The fifth and sixth modes are situated in south and southwest China. However, over the last 500 years the strength and location of principal modes have experienced significant changes. During the 20th century, the first mode is found in the lower Yangtze River valley, the second mode in south China while the third mode is located in the mid-low Yellow River valley. During the 19^th century, the first three modes are situated in the mid-low Yellow River, the mid-low Yangtze River and south China, respectively. The first two modes in the 18^th century are located in the mid-low Yellow River and the mid-low Yangtze River valleys. The largest change of all modes occurred in the 17^th century with the first mode in northeast China, the second mode in northwest China, and the third mode in the mid-low Yangtze River valley. During the 16^th century, the first two modes are found in the mid-low Yangtze River and the mid-low Yellow River valleys.In each of the last five centuries, some special dryness/wetness processes are characterized in the mid-low Yangtze River and the mid-low Yellow River (north China). During the 20^th century, continuous and severe wetness is experienced in the mid-low Yangtze River in the last two decades. A two-decade wetness period in north China was followed by a severe dry period in the late 19^th century. Inter-annual variability, decade and two-decade oscillations of dryness/wetness are experienced in the series of different modes from one century to another. Dry/wet variations in north China and the middle Yangtze River are confirmed by series of data on local precipitation and runoff.     

广西春夏季旱涝的等级划分及时空分布特征分析

利用广西80多个站点1961～2006年的逐月降水资料,采用Z指数定义方法,对广西春夏季的旱涝进行等级划分.利用经验正交函数(EOF)分析方法对春夏季旱涝等级的时空分布进行研究,给出了四个旱涝典型场的分布特征.分析结果表明:全区性偏涝或偏旱是春夏季早涝分布的最主要型态;春季和夏季的前4种分布形态都通过了显著性检验,两个季度的第一、第二分布形态都是全区一致型和南北反向型;春季近5年时间系数多为正值,说明近年来全区春季表现为偏旱;1990年以后,夏季第一特征向量时间系数只有3年为正值,其余均为负值,说明近16年广西夏季降水较多,以偏涝为主,年代际变化也较明显.     

Rainfall characterisation by application of standardised precipitation index (SPI) in Peninsular Malaysia

The interpretations of trend behaviour for dry and wet events are analysed in order to verify the dryness and wetness episodes. The fitting distribution of rainfall is computed to classify the dry and wet events by applying the standardised precipitation index (SPI). The rainfall amount for each station is categorised into seven categories, namely extremely wet, severely wet, moderately wet, near normal, moderately dry, severely dry and extremely dry. The computation of the SPI is based on the monsoon periods, which include the northeast monsoon, southwest monsoon and inter-monsoon. The trends of the dry and wet periods were then detected using the Mann–Kendall trend test and the results indicate that the major parts of Peninsular Malaysia are characterised by increasing droughts rather than wet events. The annual trends of drought and wet events of the randomly selected stations from each region also yield similar results. Hence, the northwest and southwest regions are predicted to have a higher probability of drought occurrence during a dry event and not much rain during the wet event. The east and west regions, on the other hand, are going through a significant upward trend that implies lower rainfall during the drought episodes and heavy rainfall during the wet events.     

近40年广东省的旱涝特征

利用广东省８６个测站近４０年（建站起至１９９４年）的降水资料,分析和讨论了平均年雨量分布的特征,并以５级旱标准确定了全省和各分区的逐年旱涝级别,初步讨论了若干旱涝特征。结果表明,全省平均年雨量为１７４８ｍｍ;四个主要雨量大值（年雨量２０００ｍｍ以上）中心分别位于恩平、清远、海丰和龙门;全省平均而言,１９５９、１９６１、１９７３、１９７５和１９８３年为涝年,１９５６、１９６３、１９７７和１９９１年为     

中国黄土高原地区4～10月雨量时空变化特征分析

利用黄土高原区域40年的实测降水资料,研究了该区作物生长期(4~10月)降水量的时空变化特征,并对干年和湿年的降水进行了分析和比较。结果表明:黄土高原作物生长期降水在1985年左右发生突变,由历史上的多雨转为少雨;降水异常变化存在3~5年、8年左右和11~16年左右的振荡周期,3~5年的振荡周期更明显;干湿年降水存在明显差异,湿年比干年多40%以上;存在降水异常响应的敏感区,干旱在高原的东北部响应变幅大于其它地方,湿涝响应在高原的北部最为明显。     

Spatial and temporal variability of precipitation indices during 1961–2010 in Hunan Province,central south China

Based on daily precipitation records at 75 meteorological stations in Hunan Province, central south China, the spatial and temporal variability of precipitation indices is analyzed during 1961–2010. For precipitation extremes, most of precipitation indices suggest that both the amount and the intensity of extreme precipitation are increasing, especially the mean precipitation amount on a wet day, showing a significant positive trend. Meanwhile, both of the monthly rainfall heterogeneity and the contribution of the days with the greatest rainfall show an upward trend. When it comes to rainfall erosivity, most of this province is characterized by high values of annual rainfall erosivity. Although the directions of trends in annual rainfall erosivity at most stations are upward, only 6 of the 75 stations have significant trends. Furthermore, the spatial and temporal variation of dryness/wetness has been assessed by the standardized precipitation index (SPI). The principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the SPI series computed on 24-month time scales. The results demonstrated a noticeable spatial variability with three subregions characterized by different trends: a remarkable wet tendency prevails in the central and southern areas, while the northern areas are dominated by a remarkable dry tendency.     

Leading Pattern of Spring Drought Variability over East Asia and Associated Drivers

Drought events have become more frequent and intense over East Asia in recent decades, leading to hugesocioeconomic impacts. Although the droughts have been studied extensively by cases or for individual regions, theirleading variability and associated causes remain unclear. Based on the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index(SPEI) and ERA5 reanalysis product from 1979 to 2020, this study evealuates the severity of spring droughts in East Asiaand investigates their variations and associated drivers. The results indicate that North China and Mongolia have ex perienced remarkable trends toward dryness during spring in recent decades, while southwestern China has witnessed anopposite trend toward wetness. The first Empirical Orthogonal Function mode of SPEI variability reveals a similarseesawing pattern, with more severe dryness in northwestern China, Mongolia, North China, South Korea, and Japan butincreased wetness in Southwestern China and southeast Asia. Further investigation reveals that the anomalously dry (wet)surface in North (Southwestern) China is significantly associated with anomalously high (low) temperature, less (more)precipitation, and reduced (increased) soil moisture during the previous winter and early spring, regulated by an anomalousanticyclone (cyclone) and thus reduced (increased) water vapor convergence. The spring dry-wet pattern in East Asia isalso linked to cold sea surface temperature anomalies in the central-eastern Pacific. The findings of this study haveimportant implications for improving the prediction of spring drought events in East Asia.     

EVOLUTION LAW OF DRYNESS AND WETNESS IN KUNMING IN RECENT 300 YEARS

Using indexes of dryness and wetness in historical record over the recent recent years and rainfall data over the tatest century, the work involves itself with the study of climatological evolution of dryness and wetness. periodic variations of climate and interannual laws of variation. The discussion also covers the subjects of effects of El Nino. sunspot, predictors of general circulation on climatic variation of dryness and wetness. There arc main conclusions as follows: (1) The main cyclic variations of climate are 40 and 11 years in Kunming. the former being subject to that of El Nino and the latter to that of sunspots. They are two principal factors for periodic variations of dryness and wetness in Kunming. (2) A close relationship exists between interannual variations and general circulation factors for Kunming. The comprehensive influence as imposed by ENSO and allocations of W.C.E. patterns of circulation in the westerly are ma.tor weather and climate causes for the interannual variations of precipitation in Kunming.     

昆明近300年的旱涝变化规律

应用昆明近３００年历史旱涝指数和近百年降雨观测资料,研究了旱涝历史气候演变、气候周期变化和年际变化的规律,探讨了厄尔尼诺、太阳黑子、大气环流因子对旱涝气候变化的影响。主要结果有：（１）昆明旱涝气候变化主要存在４０年和１１年的周期,４０年变化周期受厄尔尼诺变化周期影响,１１年变化周期受太阳黑子变化周期影响,厄尔尼诺和太阳黑子的周期变化是昆明旱涝周期变化和两大影响因子。（２）昆明降雨年际变化与大气环流     

十五世纪以来南方涛动指数与北太平洋海温场的重建

本文利用中国近五百年旱涝等级资料，用典型相关的方法重建了15世纪以来的南方涛动指数（SOI）和北太平洋海温（SST）场。在SOI的重建中校准了1913—1973年校准期方差的40%，在1852—1912年的独立验证期验证了方差的20%；在北太平洋SST的重建中校准的方差较高，其中赤道东太平洋SST的校准方差达60%，在近100年的定性检验中效果也很好。说明用中国历史时期的旱涝资料能够在一定程度上重建出历史时期的ENSO事件。通过对15世纪以来SO和SST重建值的分析发现，ENSO事件不但具有明显的周期性，而且还有250年左右的阶段性变化。SO和SST不仅存在2—7年公认的周期，而且历史上SO还有10.6年、赤道东太平洋SST还有25—28.5年及100年左右与太阳活动有关的周期、进一步分析还得出，18，19世纪及20世纪前期SO低指数事件发生相对较少，15世纪后期、16、17世纪及20世纪后期SO低指数事件发生较多；且历史上的低指数多发期与气候上的冷期一致，而低指数少发期则与气候上的暖期一致；气候上的干旱（湿润）期则与东太平洋长期偏冷（暖）、西太平洋长期偏暖（冷）相对应。     

贵州夏季降水异常的区域特征

利用贵州省19个测站1951～2000年夏季逐月降水资料,计算了降水量的月平均（区域平均）标准化距平。并进行模糊聚类分析、经验正交函数分解（EOF）和小波分析,研究了贵州夏季降水异常的区域特征。结果表明,贵州夏季降水在近50 a中存在5个明显的气候段：20世纪50年代前期为多雨期;50年代中期到60年代前期为少雨期;60年代中后期为多雨期;70～80年代为少雨期;90年代以后进入多雨期;降水呈增多的趋势。全省一致性是贵州夏季降水的最主要特征,同时还存在区域差异。贵州夏季降水异常有5种空间分布型,即：全省旱（涝）型、东旱（涝）西涝（旱）型、南旱（涝）北涝（旱）型、中东旱（涝）西南涝（旱）型和西南旱（涝）其余涝（旱）型。各型降水具有多时间尺度振荡的特点,存在10～12 a、4～5 a、2～3 a的周期。     

Historic variation of warm-season rainfall,Southern Colorado Plateau,Southwestern U.S.A.

Rainfall during the warm season (June 15–October 15) is the most important of the year in terms of flood generation and erosion in rivers of the southern Colorado Plateau. Fluvial erosion of the plateau decreased substantially in the 1930s to early 1940s, although the cause of this change has not been linked to variation of warm-season rainfall. This study shows that a decrease of warmseason rainfall frequency was coincident with and probably caused the decreased erosion by reducing the probability of large floods. Warm-season rainfall results from isolated thunderstorms associated with the Southwestern monsoon and from dissipating tropical cyclones and (or) cutoff low-pressure systems that produce widespread, general rainfall. Warm-season rainfall is typically normal to above normal during warm El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions. A network of 24 long-term precipitation gages was used to develop an index of standardized rainfall anomalies for the southern Colorado Plateau for the period 1900–85. The index shows that the occurrence of anomalously dry years increased and the occurrence of anomalously wet years decreased after the early 1930s, although 1939–41, 1972, and 1980–84 were anomalously wet. The decrease in warm-season rainfall after the early 1930s is related to a decrease in rainfall from dissipating tropical cyclones, shifts in the incidence of meridional circulation in the upper atmosphere, and variability of ENSO conditions.     

Variations of Summer Precipitation and Its Relation with Vapor Transfer over the Qinghai Plateau

From the study of the summer precipitation variation over the Qinghai Plateau and its dependence on vapor transfer, results are presented as follows: 1) during 1961-2003, both the summer rainfall and meridional net vapor flux (NVF) in the atmosphere display a parabola-shaped change with first rise and then drop in intensity and, in contrast, the zonal and regional NVFs exhibit increasing trends; 2) meridional NVF is positively correlated with the rainfall; 3) di erences in vapor transfer throughout atmospheric vertical extent between dry and wet years over the plateau are shown in that the transfer is stronger in a wet year with large-scale vapor convergence and vice versa in a dry year; in a wet year the meridional vapor transport can reach a belt 3.5 degrees of latitude northward and 7 degrees of longitudes eastward of the positions in a dry year; and vapor flux increases (decreases) by 54.0% (21.9%) in a wet (dry) year with respect to the mean (over 1971-2000).     

浙江秋季连阴雨气候统计特征及其异常环流背景

利用1971—2016年浙江常规气象站观测资料和多种再分析资料,分析了浙江省秋季连阴雨的气候特征及其异常环流背景。结果表明:(1)浙江每年每站平均出现1.8次秋季连阴雨天气,过程平均可持续5.5 d,平均雨量77 mm;秋季3个月中9月出现连阴雨的频次最高;大多年份会发生1～2次持续5～7 d的连阴雨,78%过程累计降水量在100 mm以下;发生时多为全省一致变化型,多发区集中在杭州—绍兴一带。(2)连阴雨过程次数、累计持续天数及累计降水量有一致变化性,均反映出浙江秋季连阴雨有明显的年际变化特征,有4个强年和7个弱年。(3)浙江秋季连阴雨强(弱)年对应南亚高压和西太平洋副热带高压"相向(背)而行"。强(弱)年时,西太平洋副热带高压异常偏西(东),南亚高压异常偏东(西),华东地区上空垂直上升运动强(盛行下沉气流),低层异常偏南(北)风提供了充足的水汽(阻碍了暖湿空气北上),有(不)利于浙江连阴雨的发生。(4)连阴雨强弱年大气环流异常与热带海表温度强迫有关。强(弱)年时,赤道太平洋海温呈拉尼娜状态(距平不明显),使东印度洋—南海—海洋性大陆上空对流活跃(偏弱),潜热加热(不足以)激发低层Matsuno-Gill型响应,(不能)在亚洲大陆激发气旋性环流异常,而赤道中东太平洋强(弱)下沉气流则(不能)在西北太平洋激发反气旋性环流异常,此低层气旋—反气旋异常环流配置(弱环流异常)使华东地区有低层偏南(北)风异常,水汽增多(减少),有(不)利于浙江连阴雨的发生。     

西藏高原汛期降水类型的研究

利用西藏高原２６个测站２６年（１９７３￣１９９８年）汛期（５￣９月）降水量资料,采用主成分分析和旋转主成分分析方法,对高原汛期降水空间分布型进行了分析。结果表明,主成分分解得到的降水空间分布形式较为集中,前３个特征向量场的分布型具有十分明确的物理意义,可表示降水场部方差的６３．１４％。旋转主成分分解生前６个载荷向量的累积方差贡献达７６．６７％,可较好反映西藏高原汛期降水６个异常敏感区：东南部、东北     

山东近百年降水的层次结构及趋势诊断

本文采用子波变换的方法分析了山东烟台、济南、青岛近百年降水距平序列,结果表明：气候系统高层次（时间尺度大）的多（少）雨期是由若干中低层次的多雨期或少雨期组成,东部沿海地区的烟台、青岛气候层次为7,降水变化以准70年周期振荡显著,中西部地区的济南气候层次为6,以准11年周期振荡最为显著。在百年以上尺度上,我省未来20年内为降水多雨期或平水期,但还存在中小尺度的降水偏多偏少阶段,2000年以前降水以偏少为主。     

Rainfall distribution patterns and their change over time in a Mediterranean area

Summary In dry farming areas, where rainfall is the only source of water for crops, changes in both quantity and distribution of rainfall during the year could affect the economy of an area. Inter-annual variability makes it difficult to assess rainfall variability, especially in areas with Mediterranean climate. In this paper, interannual rainfall variations in the Alt Penedès region were evaluated using 24-h rainfall records at Vilafranca del Penedès (1889–1999) and at Sant Sadurni d’Anoia (1960–1999). The distribution patterns during the year and their changes over the time were also analysed. Rainfall data were normalised and the values corresponding to the percentiles 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 0.9 were calculated to analyse whether they were very dry, dry, normal, wet and very wet periods. Annual rainfall and the rainfall recorded during the main rainfall periods during the year and its trend were analysed. Annual rainfall did not show a clear tendency, although during the last decade reduced interannual variability occurred. The percentage of dry years did not increase but the percentage of wet and very wet years decreased. During the last decade, an increase of dry spring seasons andwet autumn seasons was observed, even in normal or wetyears. These changes could affect the timing of whencrops receive water and could therefore affect their yields. Received May 31, 2000/Revised February 26, 2001     

CHARACTERISTICS OF MEI-YU PRECIPITATION AND SVD ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION OVER THE YANGTZE-HUAIHE RIVERS VALLEYS AND THE SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN THE NORTHERN PACIFIC OCEAN

Based on the precipitation data of Meiyu at 37 stations in the valleys of Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers from 1954 to 2001, the temporal-spatial characteristics of Meiyu precipitation and their relationships with the sea surface temperature in northern Pacific are investigated using such methods as harmonic analysis, empirical orthogonal function (EOF), composite analysis and singular value decomposition (SVD). The results show that the temporal evolution and spatial distribution of Meiyu precipitation are not homogeneous in the Yangtze-Huaihe Rivers basins but with prominent inter-annual and inter-decadal variabilities. The key region between the anomalies of Meiyu precipitation and the monthly sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) lies in the west wind drift of North Pacific, which influences the precipitation anomaly of Meiyu precipitation over a key period of time from January to March in the same year. When the SST in the North Pacific west wind drift is warmer (colder) than average during these months, Meiyu precipitation anomalously increases (decreases) in the concurrent year. Results of SVD are consistent with those of composite analysis which pass the significance test of Monte-Carlo at 0.05.     

Preface to the Special Issue on Summer 2020: Record Rainfall in Asia — Mechanisms,Predictability and Impacts

Throughout vast areas of Asia, the summer of 2020 was extraordinarily wet. After an exceptionally wet May in North-east India and Bangladesh, excessive rainfall hit at least 10 provinces in central and southern China in June and July, caus-ing extensive flooding in many rural and urban locations. Long standing rainfall, lake and river level records were con-sequently broken in several parts of the region with the Yangtze-Huaihe river valleys, particularly badly impacted, with con-sequential economic losses. Floods and landslides also affected parts of Japan with at least one location in Kumamoto province even experiencing a record-breaking 1000 mm of rainfall in just 3 days in early July. The 2020 wet season in South Korea was also exceptionally long, lasting 54 days, compared to their more usual 32.