Spatial and Temporal Variability of Water Availability in the Yellow River Basin

The changes in hydrological processes in the Yellow River basin were simulated by using the Community Land Model(CLM,version 3.5),driven by historical climate data observed from 1951 to 2008.A comparison of modeled soil moisture and runoff with limited observations in the basin suggests a general drying trend in simulated soil moisture,runoff,and precipitation-evaporation balance(P-E) in most areas of the Yellow River basin during the observation period.Furthermore,annual soil moisture,runoff,and P-E averaged over the entire basin have declined by 3.3%,82.2%,and 32.1%,respectively.Significant drying trends in soil moisture appear in the upper and middle reaches of the basin,whereas a significant trend in declining surface runoff and P-E occurred in the middle reaches and the southeastern part of the upper reaches.The overall decreasing water availability is characterized by large spatial and temporal variability.     

Synchronous Characteristics of Precipitation Extremes in the Yangtze and Murray–Darling River Basins and the Role of ENSO

The floods caused by the extreme precipitation in the Yangtze River basin(YRB) and Murray–Darling River basin(MDRB), the largest basins in China and Australia, have significant impacts on the society and regional economies.Based on the spatial–temporal analysis of the daily precipitation extremes(DPEs) during 1982–2016, we found that for both basins, the whole-basin-type DPEs have the highest proportion and a synchronous DPE interannual variation characteristic exists in the two basins, with the 3-yr running correlation coefficient of the annual DPE days(DPEDs) reaching almost 0.7(significant at the 0.01 level). The El Ni?o–Southern Oscillation(ENSO), which is one of the most significant climate disturbance factors in the world, plays an important role in modulating the variability of the DPEs in the two basins. Singular value decomposition(SVD) analysis revealed that both the YRB and the MDRB's whole-basin-type DPEs are closely coupled with the procedure that the preceding winter eastern Pacific(EP)-type El Ni?o faded to a central Pacific(CP)-type La Ni?a. This means that the DPEs in the YRB and MDRB may synchronously occur more frequently when the above process occurs. Owing to the atmosphere–ocean interaction from the east–west dipole sea surface temperature(SST) anomaly pattern, the atmospheric circulation disturbance exhibits a pattern in which the equatorial eastern Pacific region is a mass source anomaly with a higher pressure,drier air, and weaker convection, while the equatorial western Pacific region is a mass sink anomaly with a lower pressure, wetter air, and stronger convection. Moreover, two wave trains that originated from the tropical western Pacific were found to extend to the YRB and MDRB. The interaction between the wave train's interphase dynamics and water vapor transport disturbance results in the ascent conditions and enhanced water vapor transport, which leads to the synchronous occurrence of DPEs in the YRB and MDRB on an interannual scale.     

Validating the Runoff from the PRECIS Model Using a Large-Scale Routing Model

The streamflow over the Yellow River basin is simulated using the PRECIS （Providing REgional Climates for Impacts Studies） regional climate model driven by 15-year （1979-1993） ECMWF reanalysis data as the initial and lateral boundary conditions and an off-line large-scale routing model （LRM）. The LRM uses physical catchment and river channel information and allows streamflow to be predicted for large continental rivers with a 1°×1° spatial resolution. The results show that the PRECIS model can reproduce the general southeast to northwest gradient distribution of the precipitation over the Yellow River basin, The PRECIS- LRM model combination has the capability to simulate the seasonal and annual streamflow over the Yellow River basin. The simulated streamflow is generally coincident with the naturalized streamflow both in timing and in magnitude.     

A New Precipitation Index for the Spatiotemporal Distribution of Drought and Flooding in the Reaches of the Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers and Related Characteristics of Atmospheric Circulation

Characteristics of the spatiotemporal distributions of precipitation anomalies in the reaches of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River (YHR) were studied using EOF method. Four main precipitation pat-terns for the YHR in summer identified by the first two modes: a region-wide flood over the entire YHR (RWF); a region-wide drought over the entire YHR (RWD); a flood in the south with a drought in the northern region of the Yangtze River (FS-DN); and a drought in the south with a flood in the northern region of the Yangtze River (DS-FN). Based on the first two modes and the actual precipitation departure percentage, a new precipitation index is defined in this paper. The typical flood/drought years associated with the various rainfall patterns defined by this precipitation index are more representative and closer to reality compared to some existing precipitation indexes which just use the area-mean precipitation or the EOF time components individually. The characteristics of atmospheric circulation in summer corresponding to the four main precipitation patterns over the YHR in summer show the features of atmospheric circulation differ in different precipitation pattern years. Although the different patterns share a common main influential circulation system, such as the blocking high over northeastern Asia, the low trough of westerly flows in the mid latitudes, the West Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH), and the high ridge over the Tibet Plateau, the difference in location and intensity of these systems can lead to different distributions of precipitation anomalies.     

Probability Distribution of Precipitation Extremes over the Yangtze River Basin

 Based on the daily observational precipitation data of 147 stations in the Yangtze River basin for 1960-2005, and the projected daily data of 79 grids from ECHAM5/MPI-OM in the 20th century, time series of precipitation extremes which contain annual maximum (AM) and Munger index (MI) were constructed. The distribution feature of precipitation extremes was analyzed based on the two index series. Research results show that (1) the intensity and probability of extreme heavy precipitation are higher in the middle Mintuo River sub-catchment, the Dongting Lake area, the mid-lower main stream section of the Yangtze River, and the southeastern Poyang Lake sub-catchment; whereas, the intensity and probability of drought events are higher in the mid-lower Jinsha River sub-catchment and the Jialing River sub-catchment; (2) compared with observational data, the averaged value of AM is higher but the deviation coefficient is lower in projected data, and the center of precipitation extremes moves northwards; (3) in spite of certain differences in the spatial distributions of observed and projected precipitation extremes, by applying General Extreme Value (GEV) and Wakeby (WAK) models with the method of L-Moment Estimator (LME) to the precipitation extremes, it is proved that WAK can simulate the probability distribution of precipitation extremes calculated from both observed and projected data quite well. The WAK could be an important function for estimating the precipitation extreme events in the Yangtze River basin under future climatic scenarios.     

Numerical Study of the Impacts of Urban Expansion on Meiyu Precipitation over Eastern China

The Yangtze River Delta(YRD) has experienced significant urban expansion in recent years, while the Meiyu belt of China has demonstrated a decadal northward shifting trend. Thus, it is of interest to assess how urban expansion affects Meiyu precipitation and hopefully to reveal the underlying physical mechanisms involved. In this study, the urban extents over the YRD in 2001 and 2010 are derived based on land use/land cover(LULC) category data and nighttime light image data. Two parallel groups of10-summer(2001–2010) numerical simulations are carried out with the urban extents over the YRD in2001 and 2010, respectively. The results show that the urban expansion in the YRD tends to result in increased(decreased) Meiyu precipitation over the Huaihe River(Yangtze River) basin with intensities of0.2–1.2 mm day-1. Further analysis indicates that the spatiotemporal pattern of the Meiyu precipitation change induced by the urban expansion resembles the third empirical orthogonal function(EOF) mode of the observed Meiyu precipitation. Analyses of the possible underlying physical mechanisms reveal that urban expansion in the YRD leads to changes in the surface energy balance and warming(cooling) of tropospheric(stratospheric) air temperature over eastern China. Anomalous upward(downward) motion and moisture convergence(divergence) over the Huaihe River(Yangtze River) basin occur, corresponding to the increases(decreases) of the Meiyu precipitation over the Huaihe River(Yangtze River) basin.     

Relationship between winter snow cover days in Northeast China and rainfall near the Yangtze River basin in the following summer

Based on observed snow and precipitation data and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data,the relationship between the number of winter snow cover days in Northeast China and the following summer’s rainfall in the northern part of southern China is analyzed and the possible underlying mechanisms are discussed.The results indicate that a negative relationship is significant throughout the study period,especially more obvious after the 1980s.The pre-winter circulation patterns in years with more snow cover days and less summer rainfall in the south bank of the Yangtze River are almost the same.In years with more snow cover days,lower temperatures at the lower level over Northeast China are found in winter and spring.The winter monsoon is weaker and retreats later in these years than in those with fewer snow cover days.In spring of years with more snow cover days,anomalous cyclonic circulation is observed over Northeast China,and anomalous northerly wind is found in eastern China.In summer of these years,anomalous northeasterly wind at the lower level is found from the area south of the Yangtze River to the East China Sea and Yellow Sea;and with less southwesterly water vapor transport,the rainfall in the area south of the Yangtze River is less than normal,and the opposite patterns are true in years with fewer snow cover days.In recent years,the stable relationship between winter snow cover in Northeast China and summer rainfall in the Yangtze River basin can be used for summer rainfall prediction.The results are of great importance to short-term climate prediction for summer rainfall.     

Different Summer Rainfall Anomaly Patterns in Northeast China Associated with Two Kinds of El Niño Events

The relationship between summer rainfall anomalies in northeast China and two types of El Ni?o events is investigated by using observation data and an AGCM. It is shown that, for different types of El Ni?o events, there is different rainfall anomaly pattern in the following summer. In the following year of a typical El Ni?o event, there are remarkable positive rainfall anomalies in the central-western region of northeast China, whereas the pattern of more rainfall in the south end and less rainfall in the north end of northeast China easily appears in an El Ni?o Modoki event. The reason for the distinct differences is that, associated with the different sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) along the equatorial Pacific, the large-scale circulation anomalies along east coast of East Asia shift northward in the following summer of El Ni?o Modoki events. Influenced by the anomalous anticyclone in Philippine Sea, southwesterly anomalies over eastern China strengthens summer monsoon and bring more water vapor to Northeast China. Meanwhile, convergence and updraft is strengthened by the anomalous cyclone right in Northeast China in typical El Ni?o events. These moisture and atmospheric circulation conditions are favorable for enhanced precipitation. However, because of the northward shift, the anomalous anticyclone which is in Philippine Sea in typical El Ni?o cases shifts to the south of Japan in Modoki years, and the anomalous cyclone which is in the Northeast China in typical El Ni?o cases shifts to the north of Northeast China, leading to the “dipole pattern” of rainfall anomalies. According to the results of numerical experiments, we further conform that the tropical SSTA in different types of El Ni?o event can give rise to observed rainfall anomaly patterns in Northeast China.     

LINKAGE BETWEEN INDIAN OCEAN DIPOLE AND TWO TYPES OF El NI?O AND ITS POSSIBLE MECHANISMS

After compositing three representative ENSO indices,El Nio events have been divided into an eastern pattern(EP) and a central pattern(CP).By using EOF,correlation and composite analysis,the relationship and possible mechanisms between Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD) and two types of El Nio were investigated.IOD events,originating from Indo-Pacific scale air-sea interaction,are composed of two modes,which are associated with EP and CP El Ni o respectively.The IOD mode related to EP El Nio events(named as IOD1) is strongest at the depth of 50 to 150 m along the equatorial Indian Ocean.Besides,it shows a quasi-symmetric distribution,stronger in the south of the Equator.The IOD mode associated with CP El Nio(named as IOD2) has strongest signal in tropical southern Indian Ocean surface.In terms of mechanisms,before EP El Nio peaks,anomalous Walker circulation produces strong anomalous easterlies in equatorial Indian Ocean,resulting in upwelling in the east,decreasing sea temperature there;a couple of anomalous anticyclones(stronger in the south) form off the Equator where warm water accumulates,and thus the IOD1 occurs.When CP El Nio develops,anomalous Walker circulation is weaker and shifts its center to the west,therefore anomalous easterlies in equatorial Indian Ocean is less strong.Besides,the anticyclone south of Sumatra strengthens,and the southerlies east of it bring cold water from higher latitudes and northerlies west of it bring warm water from lower latitudes to the 15° to 25°S zone.Meanwhile,there exists strong divergence in the east and convergence in the west part of tropical southern Indian Ocean,making sea temperature fall and rise separately.Therefore,IOD2 lies farther south.     

The Relationship Between June Precipitation over Mid-Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River Basin and Spring Soil Moisture over the East Asian Monsoon Region

Using the US Climate Prediction Center(CPC)soil moisture dataset and the observed precipitation over China together with the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis wind and air temperature,the relationship between June precipitation over mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin(MLR-YRB)and spring soil moisture over the East Asian monsoon region was explored,with the signal of the ENSO effect on precipitation removed.A significant positive correlation was found between the mean June precipitation and the preceding soilmoisture over the MRL-YRB.The possible response mechanism for this relationship was also investigated.It is found that when the soil over the MRL-YRB is wetter(drier) than normal in April and May,theair temperature in the lower troposphere over this region in May is lower(higher) than normal,and this temperature effect leads to a decrease(increase) in the temperature contrast between the land and the sea.Generally,a decrease(increase) in the land-sea temperature contrast leads to weaker(stronger) East Asian summer monsoon in June.Southerly(northerly)wind anomalies at 850 hPa then show up in the south of the Yangtze River basin while northerly(southerly)wind anomalies dominate in the north.These anomalies lead to the convergence(divergence) of wind and water vapor and hence gives rise to more(less) precipitation in June over the MLR-YRB.     

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ATMOSPHERIC AND OCEANIC CONDITIONS BEFORE THE OCCURRENCE OF TWO TYPES OF EL NIO EVENTS

The atmospheric and oceanic conditions before the onset of EP El Ni?o and CP El Ni?o in nearly 30 years are compared and analyzed by using 850 hPa wind, 20℃ isotherm depth, sea surface temperature and the Wheeler and Hendon index. The results are as follows: In the western equatorial Pacific, the occurrence of the anomalously strong westerly winds of the EP El Ni?o is earlier than that of the CP El Ni?o. Its intensity is far stronger than that of the CP El Ni?o. Two months before the El Ni?o, the anomaly westerly winds of the EP El Ni?o have extended to the eastern Pacific region, while the westerly wind anomaly of the CP El Ni?o can only extend to the west of the dateline three months before the El Ni?o and later stay there. Unlike the EP El Ni?o, the CP El Ni?o is always associated with easterly wind anomaly in the eastern equatorial Pacific before its onset. The thermocline depth anomaly of the EP El Ni?o can significantly move eastward and deepen. In addition, we also find that the evolution of thermocline is ahead of the development of the sea surface temperature for the EP El Ni?o. The strong MJO activity of the EP El Ni?o in the western and central Pacific is earlier than that of the CP El Ni?o. Measured by the standard deviation of the zonal wind square, the intensity of MJO activity of the EP El Ni?o is significantly greater than that of the CP El Ni?o before the onset of El Ni?o.     

Assessing the Seasonal Predictability of Summer Precipitation over the Huaihe River Basin with Multiple APCC Models

Seasonal rainfall predictability over the Huaihe River basin is evaluated in this paper on the basis of 23-year(1981-2003) retrospective forecasts by 10 climate models from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) Climate Center(APCC) multi-model ensemble(MME) prediction system.It is found that the summer rainfall variance in this basin is largely internal,which leads to lower rainfall predictability for most individual climate models.By dividing the 10 models into three categories according to their sea surface temperature(SST) boundary conditions including observed,predicted,and persistent SSTs,the MME deterministic predictive skill of summer rainfall over Huaihe River basin is investigated.It is shown that the MME is effective for increasing the current seasonal forecast skill.Further analysis shows that the MME averaged over predicted SST models has the highest rainfall prediction skill,which is closely related to model’s capability in reproducing the observed dominant modes of the summer rainfall anomalies in Huaihe River basin.This result can be further ascribed to the fact that the predicted SST MME is the most effective model ensemble for capturing the relationship between the summer rainfall anomalies over Huaihe River basin and the SST anomalies(SSTAs) in equatorial oceans.     

Detecting Changes in Precipitation and Temperature Extremes over China Using a Regional Climate Model with Water Table Dynamics Considered

Simulations were conducted with the regional climate model RegCM incorporating water table dynamics from 1 September 1982 to 28 August 2002 to detect precipitation and temperature extremes. Compared with observed r10（number of days with precipitation ≥ 10 mm d^–1）, RegCM3_Hydro（the regional climate model with water table dynamics considered） simulated rain belts, including those in southern China and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and provided data for arid to semi-arid areas such as the Heihe River Basin in northwestern China. RegCM3_Hydro indicated a significant increasing trend of r95p（days with daily precipitation greater than the 95th percentile of daily amounts） for the Yangtze, Yellow, and Pearl River basins, consistent with r95p observations. The Haihe River Basin was also chosen as a specific case to detect the effect of groundwater on extreme precipitation using peaks over threshold（POT）-based generalized Pareto distribution（GPD） with parameters estimated by the L-moment method. Quantile plots showed that all but a few of the plotted points were distributed near diagonal lines and the modeled data fitted well with the samples. Finally, the effects of water table dynamics on temperature extremes were also evaluated. In the Yellow River Basin and Songhuajiang River Basin, the trends of the number of warm days（TX95n） from RegCM3_Hydro matched observed values more closely when water table dynamics were considered, and clearly increasing numbers of warm days from 1983 to 2001 were detected.     

Contrasts of Atmospheric Circulation and Associated Tropical Convection between Huaihe River Valley and Yangtze River Valley Mei-yu Flooding

The significant differences of atmospheric circulation between flooding in the Huaihe and Yangtze River valleys during early mei-yu(i.e.,the East Asian rainy season in June) and the related tropical convection were investigated.During the both flooding cases,although the geopotential height anomalies always exhibit equivalent barotropic structures in middle to high latitudes at middle and upper troposphere,the phase of the Rossby wave train is different over Eurasian continent.During flooding in the Huaihe River valley,only one single blocking anticyclone is located over Baikal Lake.In contrast,during flooding in the Yangtze River valley,there are two blocking anticyclones.One is over the Ural Mountains and the other is over Northeast Asia.In the lower troposphere a positive geopotential height anomaly is located at the western ridge of subtropical anticyclone over Western Pacific(SAWP) in both flooding cases,but the location of the height anomaly is much farther north and west during the Huaihe River mei-yu flooding.Furthermore,abnormal rainfall in the Huaihe River valley and the regions north of it in China is closely linked with the latent heating anomaly over the Arabian Sea and Indian peninsula.However,the rainfall in the Yangtze River valley and the regions to its south in China is strongly related to the convection over the western tropical Pacific.Numerical experiments demonstrated that the enhanced latent heating over the Arabian Sea and Indian peninsula causes water vapor convergence in the region south of Tibetan Plateau and in the Huaihe River valley extending to Japan Sea with enhanced precipitation;and vapor divergence over the Yangtze River valley and the regions to its south with deficient precipitation.While the weakened convection in the tropical West Pacific results in moisture converging over the Yangtze River and the region to its south,along with abundant rainfall.     

SSTA SIGNAL CHARACTERISTIC ANALYSIS OVER THE INDIAN OCEAN DURING RAINY SEASON IN CHINA

The teleconnection distribution characteristics of sea surface temperature (SST) over the India Ocean and the precipitation during rainy season in China were studied by using the methods of EOF and CCA. The results indicate that the change of SST field will affect the change of rain belt during rainy seasons in China, and greatly affect the precipitation in northwest and southwest China, the Yangzi and Yellow River downstream basins. Strong signal phenomena of SSTA over India Ocean were revealed that showed the anomalous distribution of drought and flood in China. It shows that the precipitation during rainy seasons in China may be forecast by analyzing SST distribution characteristics over the India Ocean.     

ECHAM5-Simulated Impacts of Two Types of El Nio on the Winter Precipitation Anomalies in South China

The authors used an atmospheric general circulation model(AGCM) of European Centre Hamburg Model(ECHAM5.4) and investigated the possible impacts of eastern Pacific(EP) and central Pacific(CP) El Nio on the winter precipitation anomalies in South China.A composite analysis suggested much more rainfall during the mature phase of EP El Nio than in the case of CP El Nio,and their corresponding observed wet centers to be located in the southeast coast and the region to the south of the Yangtze River,respectively.Results obtained on the basis of model-sensitive run imply that the modelsimulated rainfall anomalies agree well with the observation,and the magnitude of simulated rainfall anomalies were found to be reduced when the amplitude of sea surface temperature anomaly(SSTA) forcing of EP and CP El Nio was cut down.These results imply that the rainfall anomaly in South China is very sensitive not only to the type of El Nio but also to its intensity.     

Simulation and Analysis about the Effects of Geopotential Height Anomaly in Tropical and Subtropical Region on Droughts or Floods in the Yangtze River Valley and North China

Previous study comes to the conclusion:based on the anomalies of the South Asian high (SAH),100-hPa geopotential height,and 100-hPa circulation over tropical and subtropical regions,we can predict precipita- tion anomaly in the Yangtze River Valley and North China.To test its validity,a series of experiments have been designed and operated,which include controlled experiment,sensitivity experiment (which has added anomalies into 100-hPa geopotential height and wind field),and four-composite experiments.Experiments based on the composed initial field such as EPR-CF,EPR-CD,EPR-HF,and EPR-HD,can reproduce the floods or droughts in the Yangtze River Valley and North China.It suggests that anomalies of the SAH,100- hPa geopotential height,and circulation over tropical and subtropical regions may probably imply summer precipitation anomalies in the two regions.Sensitivity experiment results show that anomalies of the SAH, 100-hPa geopotential height,and southwest flow in the previous period is a signal of droughts or floods for the following summer in the Yangtze River Valley and North China.And it is also one of the factors that have impact on summer precipitation anomaly in the two regions.Positive anomaly of 100-hPa geopotential height and the anomalous intensifying of the SAH and southwest flow will induce floods in the Yangtze River Valley and droughts in North China;while negative anomaly of 100-hPa geopotential height and anomalous weakening of the SAH and southwest flow will induce droughts in the Yangtze River Valley and floods in North China.     

Influence of the Eastern Pacific and Central Pacific Types of ENSO on the South Asian Summer Monsoon

Based on observational and reanalysis data,the relationships between the eastern Pacific(EP)and central Pacific(CP)types of El Ni?o?Southern Oscillation(ENSO)during the developing summer and the South Asian summer monsoon(SASM)are examined.The roles of these two types of ENSO on the SASM experienced notable multidecadal modulation in the late 1970s.While the inverse relationship between the EP type of ENSO and the SASM has weakened dramatically,the CP type of ENSO plays a far more prominent role in producing anomalous Indian monsoon rainfall after the late 1970s.The drought-producing El Ni?o warming of both the EP and CP types can excite anomalous rising motion of the Walker circulation concentrated in the equatorial central Pacific around 160°W to the date line.Accordingly,compensatory subsidence anomalies are evident from the Maritime Continent to the Indian subcontinent,leading to suppressed convection and decreased precipitation over these regions.Moreover,anomalously less moisture flux into South Asia associated with developing EP El Ni?o and significant northwesterly anomalies dominating over southern India accompanied by developing CP El Ni?o,may also have been responsible for the Indian monsoon droughts during the pre-1979 and post-1979 sub-periods,respectively.El Ni?o events with the same“flavor”may not necessarily produce consistent Indian monsoon rainfall anomalies,while similar Indian monsoon droughts may be induced by different types of El Ni?o,implying high sensitivity of monsoonal precipitation to the detailed configuration of ENSO forcing imposed on the tropical Pacific.     

A New Approach for Classifying Two Types of El Nio Events

正In recent decades, the typical El Nio events with the warmest SSTs in the tropical eastern Pacific have become less common, and a different of El Nio with the warmest SSTs in the central Pacific, which is flanked on the east and west by cooler SSTs, has become more fre-quent. The more recent type of El Nio was referred to as central Pacific El Nio, warm pool El Nio, or dateline El Nio, or the El Nio Modoki. Central Pacific El Nio links to a different tropical-to-extratropical teleconnection and exerts different impacts on climate, and several classification approaches have been proposed. In this study, a new classification approach is proposed, which is based on the linear combination (sum or difference) of the two leading Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs) of tropical Pacific Ocean sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA), and the typical El Ni o index (TENI) and the central El Nio index (CENI) are able to be derived by projecting the observed SSTA onto these combinations. This classification not only reflects the characteristics of non-orthogonality between the two types of events but also yields one period peaking at approximate two to seven years. In particular, this classification can distin-guish the different impacts of the two types of events on rainfall in the following summer in East China. The typical El Nio events tend to induce intensified rainfall in the Yangtze River valley, whereas the central Pacific El Nio tends to induce intensified rainfall in the Huaihe River valley. Thus, the present approach may be appropriate for studying the impact of different types of El Nio on the East Asian climate.     

A New Approach for Classifying Two Types of El Nino Events

In recent decades, the typical El Nio events with the warmest SSTs in the tropical eastern Pacific have become less common, and a different of El Nio with the warmest SSTs in the central Pacific, which is flanked on the east and west by cooler SSTs, has become more fre-quent. The more recent type of El Nio was referred to as central Pacific El Nio, warm pool El Nio, or dateline El Nio, or the El Nio Modoki. Central Pacific El Nio links to a different tropical-to-extratropical teleconnection and exerts different impacts on climate, and several classification approaches have been proposed. In this study, a new classification approach is proposed, which is based on the linear combination (sum or difference) of the two leading Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs) of tropical Pacific Ocean sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA), and the typical El Ni o index (TENI) and the central El Nio index (CENI) are able to be derived by projecting the observed SSTA onto these combinations. This classification not only reflects the characteristics of non-orthogonality between the two types of events but also yields one period peaking at approximate two to seven years. In particular, this classification can distin-guish the different impacts of the two types of events on rainfall in the following summer in East China. The typical El Nio events tend to induce intensified rainfall in the Yangtze River valley, whereas the central Pacific El Nio tends to induce intensified rainfall in the Huaihe River valley. Thus, the present approach may be appropriate for studying the impact of different types of El Nio on the East Asian climate.