INTERDECADAL CHANGE OF DIABATIC FORCING OVER KEY REGION OF THE MARITIME CONTINENT AND ITS POSSIBLE RELATIONS WITH THE EAST ASIAN SUMMER MONSOON ANOMALIES

The Maritime Continent(MC) is an important region where the Tropical Pacific and the Indian Ocean interact with each other via "the atmospheric bridge" and a key region for the interaction between the Asian and Australian monsoons. Using the NCEP/NCAR and CMAP monthly mean reanalysis over the period of 1979-2012, the interdecadal variations of diabatic forcing over the key region of the Maritime Continent and its possible relations with the East Asian summer monsoon have been investigated in the present paper. Our results show that climate variations in the Maritime Continent is particularly significant in the area of 95-145°E, 10°S-10°N, which is thus defined as the key area of the MC(i.e., KMC area). Without the input of latent heat release in the atmosphere, distinct interdecadal change of diabatic heating is found to exist from 1979 to 2012; it intensified before 1980 s and peaked in the late 1980 s and weakened after this period. By analyzing each individual component that contributes to the diabatic heating in the KMC area, surface latent heat flux and net long-wave radiation in the atmosphere are found to be the two dominant components. With negative diabatic heating anomalies over KMC, there will be more precipitation on islands and less precipitation over sea, and more rainfall around the equator, which is in correspondence with the convergence center around the equator in the KMC area. Along the meridional-vertical section averaged between 115-120 ° E, the well-defined vertical circulation anomalies are observed with the ascending branches over KMC and the area around 30°N respectively, and the descending branch over the South China Sea. Water vapor transports from the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea to eastern China to benefit the positive precipitation anomalies. The meridional-vertical circulation in East Asia plays a critical role in linking the interdecadal variability of diabatic heating over the KMC and East Asian summer monsoon anomalies.     

Summer Persistence Barrier of Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies in the Central Western North Pacific

The persistence barrier of sea surface temperature anomalies(SSTAs) in the North Pacific was investigated and compared with the ENSO spring persistence barrier.The results show that SSTAs in the central western North Pacific(CWNP) have a persistence barrier in summer:the persistence of SSTAs in the CWNP shows a significant decline in summer regardless of the starting month.Mechanisms of the summer persistence barrier in the CWNP are different from those of the spring persistence barrier of SSTAs in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific.The phase locking of SSTAs to the annual cycle does not explain the CWNP summer persistence barrier.Remote ENSO forcing has little linear influence on the CWNP summer persistence barrier,compared with local upper-ocean process and atmospheric forcing in the North Pacific.Starting in wintertime,SSTAs extend down to the deep winter mixed layer then become sequestered beneath the shallow summer mixed layer,which is decoupled from the surface layer.Thus,wintertime SSTAs do not persist through the following summer.Starting in summertime,persistence of summer SSTAs until autumn can be explained by the atmospheric forcing through a positive SSTAs-cloud/radiation feedback mechanism because the shallow summertime mixed layer is decoupled from the temperature anomalies at depth,then the following autumn-winter-spring,SSTAs persist.Thus,summer SSTAs in the CWNP have a long persistence,showing a significant decline in the following summer.In this way,SSTAs in the CWNP show a persistence barrier in summer regardless of the starting month.     

Interdecadal Change in the Interannual Variation of the Western Edge of theWestern North Pacific Subtropical High During Early Summer and the Influenceof Tropical Sea Surface Temperature

This study reveals that the interannual variability of the western edge of the western North Pacific (WNP) subtropical high (WNPSH) in early summer experienced an interdecadal decrease around 1990. Correspondingly, the zonal movement of the WNPSH and the zonal extension of the high-pressure anomaly over the WNP (WNPHA) in abnormal years possess smaller ranges after 1990. The different influences of the tropical SSTAs are important for this interdecadal change, which exhibit slow El Ni?o decaying pattern before 1990 while rapid transformation from El Ni?o to La Ni?a after 1990. The early summer tropical SSTAs and the relevant atmospheric circulation anomalies present obvious interdecadal differences. Before 1990, the warm SSTAs over the northern Indian Ocean and southern South China Sea favor the WNPHA through eastward-propagating Kelvin wave and meridional-vertical circulation, respectively. Meanwhile, the warm SSTA over the tropical central Pacific induces anomalous ascent to its northwest through the Gill response, which could strengthen the anomalous descent over the WNP through meridional-vertical circulation and further favor the eastward extension of the WNPHA to central Pacific. After 1990, the warm SSTAs over the Maritime Continent and northern Indian Ocean cause the WNPHA through meridional-vertical and zonal-vertical circulation, respectively. Overall, the anomalous warm SSTs and ascent and the resultant anomalous descent over the WNP are located more westward and southward after 1990 than before 1990. Consequently, the WNPHA features narrower zonal range and less eastward extension after 1990, corresponding to the interdecadal decease in the interannual variability of the western edge of the WNPSH. On the other hand, the dominant oscillation period of ENSO experienced an interdecadal reduction around 1990, contributing to the change of the El Ni?o SSTA associated with the anomalous WNPSH from slow decaying type to rapid transformation type.     

夏季我国干旱、半干旱区陆面过程能量平衡及其局地大气环流

利用NCEP资料分析得出,夏季我国干旱,半干旱区在整个欧亚大陆上是陆面感热通量最强的地方,与此对应的陆面潜热通量则最弱.陆面所接收的太阳短波辐射主要以感热和长波辐射的能量形式释放.该区降水量很少,降水量的年际变率也很弱;因此,该区的陆面热量通量都显出很弱的年际变率;然而,这些通量的年代际变率信号则比较显著.我国干旱、半干旱区大气环流的热力过程与其陆面过程特征密切相关.该区对流层大气的辐射冷却很强,达-3 K d-1.由于缺乏水汽和上升运动,大尺度凝结加热率、深对流加热率、浅对流加热率都非常弱.因此,600hPa以上的大气以绝热下沉加热来平衡辐射冷却;600hPa以下,陆面感热引起的垂直扩散加热率非常强,多达8 K d-1,它除了平衡辐射冷却以外还制造对流层低层的对流运动,以绝热上升冷却来平衡多余的垂直扩散加热.总之,我国干旱、半干旱区的陆面过程特征决定了该区大气运动的特殊垂直结构,即对流层低层对流上升运动及其上层的下沉运动.我国干旱、半干旱区陆面能量平衡及其局地大气环流的年代际变率,是全球气候系统年代际变率的必然结果.     

海洋性大陆核心区域非绝热加热年代际变化及其与东亚夏季风变异的可能联系

海洋性大陆区域是太平洋和印度洋通过“大气桥”发生相互作用的区域,也是亚洲季风和澳洲季风相互作用的重要地区。利用1979—2012年的NCEP/NCAR、CMAP月平均资料和合成分析等方法,研究了海洋性大陆核心区域非绝热加热年代际变化规律及其与东亚夏季风的可能联系。海洋性大陆地区气候变动在95~145 °E,10 °S~10 °N区域尤为显著,记此区域为海洋性大陆核心区域（即KMC区域）。不考虑大气中潜热释放时,KMC区域的非绝热加热率在1979—2012年之间存在显著的年代际变化,加热作用由弱增强,在1980年代末期达到峰值后,即转为减弱阶段。对非绝热加热异常各分量的分析发现,在KMC区域,表面潜热和净大气长波辐射起主要作用。当非绝热加热负异常时,KMC区域的陆地降水偏多,海洋上降水偏少,赤道上存在气流辐合。在115~120 °E区间平均的经圈剖面上,气流在赤道地区上升、南海下沉、30 °N处上升,构成了异常的垂直环流圈。水汽从孟加拉湾、南海地区向中国东部输送,利于产生降水正异常。东亚剖面上的经圈环流在联系KMC区域非绝热加热和东亚夏季风异常的年代际变化中起重要作用。      

INTERDECADAL VARIATION OF THE INTENSITY OF SOUTH ASIAN HIGH

The characteristics and possible physical mechanism of interdecadal variation of the intensity of the South Asian High (SAH) in summer are analyzed using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and NOAA extended reconstructed sea surface temperature (SST) data. The results indicate that a remarkable interdecadal transition occurred in the late 1970s that increased the intensity of SAH, or, an abrupt climate change was around 1978. A comparative analysis between the weak and strong period of the SAH intensity shows that the related anomalous patterns of the atmospheric circulation (including wind field, air temperature field and vertical velocity field) are nearly opposite to each other. The surface latent heat flux anomalies over the plateau (especially in the northwest of the plateau) in summer exert great influence on the interdecadal variation of the SAH intensity and the surface sensible heat flux anomalies play a more important role. Consistent with the interdecadal variation of the SAH intensity, the monopole mode of the tropical Indian Ocean SST in summer also experienced a low to high transition in the late 1970s. To some extent, this can reveal the impact of the anomalous monopole mode of the tropical Indian Ocean SST in summer on interdecadal variation of the SAH.     

增温停滞背景下黑潮与湾流区域潜热通量年代际趋势变化差异及其成因分析

本文使用美国伍兹霍尔海洋研究所发布的客观分析海气通量项目数据集及日本海洋科学技术中心的Ishii次表层温盐数据,利用经验正交函数分析方法、小扰动展开、线性回归、海水热力学方程2010等方法,主要研究在增温停滞背景（1979～2000年,升温阶段;2001～2013年,停滞阶段）下,北半球两支西边界流区域即黑潮及其延伸区域（简称黑潮区域）和墨西哥湾流区域（简称湾流区域）海表潜热通量的年代际趋势转变和影响因子,以及内部热含量的年代际变化。结果表明,两支西边界流在增温停滞背景下都发生了年代际尺度的趋势反转,而反转的时间节点以及前后的反转趋势都不相同:黑潮区域潜热通量年代际趋势于2001年左右由正转负;而湾流区域潜热通量年代际趋势于1993年左右由负转正。其影响因子在前后阶段也有不同:通过影响海表饱和比湿进而影响海气比湿差,海表温度是影响黑潮区域全时间段以及湾流区域1993～2013年时间段潜热通量变化的主要因素;而风速通过直接的影响以及对空气湿度的影响也会对潜热通量变化产生间接影响,主要在湾流区域的1979～1992年时间段体现。黑潮及湾流区域0～1000 m海水热含量的年代际变化同样存在差异:黑潮区域表层热含量年代际变化同混合层一致;湾流区域表层热含量年代际变化同深层相异,而表层以下的变化较为一致;两个区域的深层热含量变化都体现了增温停滞的现象,黑潮区域可能存在下层至上层的影响;而湾流区域可能存在上层至下层的影响。黑潮与湾流区域表面的差异可以归结为海洋与大气因素的影响差异,而内部热含量年代际变化的垂直差异可能归结为两区域的结构差异。增温停滞对两区域的变化影响显著,而区域的变化可能存在对增温停滞的反馈。     

Interdecadal Variability of the ENSO–North Pacific Atmospheric Circulation in Winter

The interdecadal change in the relationship between the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and atmospheric circulation over the North Pacific is investigated using both observational data and an atmospheric general circulation model. There are two prominent modes of winter mid-latitude atmospheric variability in the North Pacific: the West Pacific (WP) teleconnection and the Aleutian Low (AL). The relationship between ENSO and the WP-AL patterns changed notably around the late 1970s. From 1957 to 1975, during the mature phase of ENSO, significant sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) occurred, mainly in the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean; the associated atmospheric circulation anomaly pattern resembles the negative phase of a WP teleconnection pattern. In contrast, for the 1978–2011 period, significant negative SSTAs were observed in the western and extratropical Pacific in both hemispheres, with some significant positive SSTAs appearing over the eastern Pacific. This is in agreement with the defined regions of a mega-ENSO, the associated atmospheric circulation anomaly pattern resembles the AL mode. Further analysis suggests that a negative–positive anomaly pattern in the 500?hPa geopotential height throughout the entire North Pacific, possibly enhanced by the SSTAs in the extratropical North Pacific associated with the mature phase of ENSO, is responsible for modulating the relationship between ENSO and the North Pacific atmospheric circulation.     

The impact of boreal autumn SST anomalies over the South Pacific on boreal winter precipitation over East Asia

The possible mechanism behind the variability in the dipole pattern of boreal winter precipitation over East Asia is analyzed in this study. The results show that the SST anomalies(SSTAs) over the South Pacific Ocean(SPO) in boreal autumn are closely related to the variability in the dipole pattern of boreal winter precipitation over East Asia. The physical link between the boreal autumn SPO SSTAs and the boreal winter East Asian precipitation dipole pattern is shown to mainly be the seasonal persistence of the SPO SSTAs themselves. The seasonal persistence of the SPO SSTAs can memorize and transport the signal of the boreal autumn SSTAs to the following winter, and then stimulates a meridional teleconnection pattern from the SH to the NH, resulting in a meridional dipole pattern of atmospheric circulation over East Asia in boreal winter. As a major influencing factor, this dipole pattern of the atmospheric circulation can finally lead to the anomalous precipitation dipole pattern over East Asia in boreal winter. These observed physical processes are further confirmed in this study through numerical simulation. The evidence from this study, showing the impact of the SPO SSTAs in boreal autumn,not only deepens our understanding of the variability in East Asian boreal winter precipitation, but also provides a potentially useful predictor for precipitation in the region.     

青藏高原东南缘近地层微气象学特征对比分析

本文利用位于青藏高原东南缘的温江和大理大气边界层野外观测资料,对比分析了两站包括风温湿、辐射、湍流通量等在内的近地层微气象学特征,主要结果如下：（1）两站风速值均随着高度的增加而增大,但温江站冬季4～10 m风速在白天出现随高度减小的现象.温江站冬季以东北风为主,夏季以西北风和南风为主;大理站冬季以东南风为主,其次为西南风,夏季则以东风和东南风为主.两站近地层逆温和逆湿现象都非常显著.（2）同一季节温江站大气逆辐射和地表长波辐射大于大理站,向下短波辐射小于大理站.温江站地表长波辐射总是大于大气逆辐射,而大理站白天地表长波辐射大于大气逆辐射,晚上则相反.（3）温江站感热通量冬季大于大理站,夏季小于大理站,而潜热通量无论冬夏都要小于大理站.两站潜热通量均大于感热通量,并且大理站潜热通量月平均日变化值全天始终大于零.无论冬夏,温江站土壤热通量都要小于大理站,随着深度的增加两站土壤热通量均有位相上的延迟.     

中纬度北太平洋依赖于ENSO事件及独立于ENSO事件的变率特征:观测事实与海气耦合模式模拟

观测事实显示,在E1 Ni(?)o发生期间,伴随着赤道中东太平洋的增暖,中纬度北大平洋中部表层海温（SST）常出现冷距平,而北美大陆西海岸SST则出现暖距平。借助观测资料分析和海气耦合模式模拟两种手段,检验了北太平洋对ENSO事件的上述响应。观测证据和数值模拟都支持有关学者提出的“大气桥”概念,即大气对赤道中东太平洋SST异常增暖的响应,随后强迫中纬度北太平洋,并导致那里SST的变冷,从而起到了连接热带和热带外特别是中纬度北太平洋的“桥梁”的作用。关于其机制,本文认为主要是海洋对大气强迫的动力响应导致那里的SST变冷,尽管潜热通量的贡献也很显著。至少模式结果证明短波辐射、长波辐射和感热通量的贡献都是次要的。进一步的分析揭示,北太平洋存在着线性独立于ENSO事件的所谓“北太平洋模态”,在空间型上,它和线性地依赖于ENSO事件的模态非常相近,即它们的纬向结构都呈现出扁平的“双极”型,只是彼此间SST距平极大值的中心位置不同。模拟结果表明,北太平洋模态与大气的耦合作用,主要是通过海气热通量交换实现的,其中短波辐射和长波辐射的作用居主导地位,而潜热通量的贡献则基本可以忽略。     

热带太平洋-印度洋海温异常综合模的数值模拟

通过数值模拟及结果的合成分析,对热带太平洋-印度洋异常海温综合模态的三维热力结构、动力结构及其发生发展的可能机制进行了研究.数值模拟结果的分析表明,太平洋、印度洋海温异常的综合模态在表层、次表层的表现都很明显,即在赤道西印度洋、中东太平洋的海温偏高(低)时,赤道西太平洋、东印度洋的海温偏低(高),该模态还存在着显著的年变化特征、年际变化特征以及年代际变化特征.数值模拟的合成分析结果表明,异常的海表风应力引起表层洋流异常,表层洋流异常及由其引起的海表高度异常可导致次表层海水环流的异常,海洋环流异常导致的平流热输送异常是海温形成异常综合模态的主要原因之一,垂直输送是形成次表层海温综合模态的主要原因.平流热输送过程对海表温度变异的贡献是:在事件发生到盛期阶段促进了次表层海温异常综合模态的形成,在盛期到消亡阶段次表层的平流过程阻碍其进一步发展;短波辐射是海洋的主要热力来源,海表面异常的净短波辐射通量、潜热通量是表层海温形成异常模态的主要热力学原因,异常的海表面净短波辐射通量、潜热通量、感热通量在到达盛期阶段后抑制其进一步发展.     

Autumn Snow Cover Variability over Northern Eurasia and Roles of Atmospheric Circulation

This study analyzes the variability of northern Eurasian snow cover(SC) in autumn and the impacts of atmospheric circulation changes. The region of large SC variability displays a southward shift from September to November, following the seasonal progression of the transition zones of surface air temperature(SAT). The dominant pattern of SC variability in September and October features a zonal distribution, and that in November displays an obvious west–east contrast. Surface air cooling and snowfall increase are two factors for larger SC. The relative contribution of SAT and snowfall changes to SC, however, varies with the region and depends upon the season. The downward longwave radiation and atmospheric heat advection play important roles in SAT changes. Anomalous convergence of water vapor flux contributes to enhanced snowfall.The changes in downward longwave radiation are associated with those in atmospheric water content and column thickness.Changes in snowfall and the transport of atmospheric moisture determine the atmospheric moisture content in September and October, and the snowfall appears to be a main factor for atmospheric moisture change in November. These results indicate that atmospheric circulation changes play an important role in snow variability over northern Eurasia in autumn. Overall, the coupling between autumn Eurasian snow and atmospheric circulation may not be driven by external forcing.     

Some diabatic indices of the monsoon circulation in the Indian region

The influence of outgoing longwave radiation anomalies on precipitation rates is studied based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis during the period of the summer monsoon circulation in the Indian region. The outgoing longwave radiation data are analyzed for 1987 (dry monsoon) and 1988 (wet monsoon) separately for the Arabian Sea, India, and the Bay of Bengal. It is shown that negative outgoing longwave radiation anomalies correspond to a wet Indian monsoon, and positive anomalies are associated with a dry monsoon. Calculations using the reanalysis enable the construction of a numerical algorithm of the interaction of outgoing longwave radiation, convection, and precipitation rates in the monsoon regions. The results obtained in this work are important in the verification of corresponding parameterizations of numerical atmospheric models.     

Coupled variability and air-sea interaction in the South Atlantic Ocean

A total of 52 years of data (1949–2000) from the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis are used to investigate mechanisms involved in forcing and damping of sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the South Atlantic Ocean. Organized patterns of coupled ocean–atmosphere variability are identified using EOF and SVD analyses. The leading mode of coupled variability consists of an SST pattern with a strong northeast–southwest gradient and an SLP monopole centered at 15°W, 45°S. The anomalous winds associated with this monopole generate the SST pattern through anomalous latent heat flux and mixed layer deepening. Other heat flux components and anomalous Ekman transport play only a secondary role. Once established, the SST pattern is attenuated through latent heat flux. The higher SST modes are also induced by anomalous winds and destroyed by latent heat flux. It thus appears that the coupled variability in the South Atlantic Ocean consists of atmospheric circulation anomalies that induce SST anomalies through anomalous latent heat fluxes and wind-induced mixed layer deepening. These SST anomalies are destroyed by latent heat flux with no detectable systematic feedback onto the atmospheric circulation. Atmospheric variability in the South Atlantic is found to be largely independent of that elsewhere, although there is a weak relation with ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation).     

亚——非季风区非绝热加热与夏季环流关系的诊断研究

基于热力适应理论,本文利用 ＮＣＥＰ／ ＮＣＡＲ再分析资料对撒哈拉沙漠、青藏高原和孟加拉湾地区的非绝热加热与夏季环流进行了诊断研究。在非洲撒哈拉沙漠地区,以感热输送为主的加热仅局限于近地面层,边界层以上的大气则以辐射冷却占优势。因而除了边界层内存在着浅薄的正涡度和微弱的上升运动以外,整个对流层几乎都维持负涡度并盛行下沉运动。对于青藏高原地区,强大的表面感热通量引起的垂直扩散是近地面大气加热的主要分量,与大尺度上升运动相关的凝结潜热对低层大气的加热也有一定的贡献。长波辐射造成的对流层中、上层大气的冷却则主要由深对流潜热释放来补偿。夏季高原地区总非绝热加热是正值,且最大加热率出现在边界层内。低空大气辐合产生正涡度,而中、高层大气辐散伴有较强的负涡度。因而高原盛行上升运动,最大上升运动位于近地面层。夏季孟加拉湾地区的深对流凝结潜热释放远大于长波辐的冷却作用,因而整个对流层几乎都保持较强的非绝热加热。４００ｈＰａ层附近的最大加热率引起３００－４００ｈＰａ最强的上升运动。对流层上层是负涡度区,而中、低层为正涡度区。结果还表明,垂直和水平辐散环流与大气的热源和热汇区密切相联：在高层,辐散气流从热源区流向热汇区;在低层则相     

“暖北极—冷欧亚”模态的年代际变化及其与北大西洋海温的联系

本文利用美国航空航天局戈达德空间研究所地表气温、美国国家海洋和大气局—环境科学协作研究所20世纪再分析资料,以及第六次国际耦合模式比较计划的多模式Historical试验结果,去除外强迫影响后,研究1910/1911～2019/2020年冬季（DJF）欧亚中高纬地区“暖北极—冷欧亚”（WACE）模态的年代际变化特征及其物理原因。结果表明:WACE具有显著的年代际变化,在WACE正位相时期,乌拉尔阻塞发生频率偏高,有利于热量向极区输送使得极区出现异常暖平流,且水汽向极区输送导致极区水汽辐合,向下长波辐射增加,另外对流活动增强导致潜热释放,进而极区温度上升。与此同时,极涡及欧亚大陆西风减弱且乌拉尔阻塞发生频率偏高,有利于冷空气侵袭欧亚大陆造成异常冷平流,且欧亚地区水汽辐散,向下长波辐射减少,对流活动减弱进而潜热释放减少,导致欧亚大陆温度降低。最后利用CAM3.0大气环流模式模拟了北大西洋海温正异常对WACE的影响,模式结果与统计结果相符合,进一步说明了北大西洋海温正异常可以通过强迫低层与高层大气环流异常,导致极区水汽辐合,欧亚大陆水汽辐散,进而影响WACE的年代际变化。     

华北夏季不同月份降水的年代际变化

利用９５１年到１９９６年华北地区１７个站的月降水资料,分析了华北地区夏季各月降水的年代际变化特征,结果表明：６月降水量较少,且在年代际变化下没有表现出减少趋势;７月降水量较多,年代际变化较大,８０年代是少;８月的降水量在年代际变化上表现出线性减少的趋势并呈准１０年周期的振荡,７月和８月的降水量均在６０年代中期和从７０年代末到８０年代初有两次明显的减少。根据７、８月降水不同的年代际变化特征,我们利用     

Physical processes responsible for the interannual variability of sea ice concentration in Arctic in boreal autumn since 1979

Arctic sea ice concentration (ASIC) in boreal autumn exhibits prominent interannual variability since 1979. The physical mechanism responsible for the year-to-year variation of ASIC is investigated through observational data analyses and idealized numerical modeling. It is found that the ASIC interannual variability is closely associated with the anomalous meridional circulations over the Northern Hemisphere, which is further linked with the tropical sea surface temperature (SST) forcing. A tropics-wide SST cooling anomaly leads to an enhanced meridional SST gradient to the north of the equator in boreal summer, generating strengthened and northward shifting Hadley circulation over the Northern Hemisphere. Consequently, the meridional circulations are enhanced and pushed poleward, leading to an enhanced descending motion at the North Pole, surrounded by an ascending motion anomaly; the surface outflow turns into easterly anomalies, opposing the mean-state winds. As a result, positive cloudiness and weakened surface wind speed emerge, which reduce ASIC through changes in the surface latent heat flux and the downward longwave radiation.     

Interdecadal Change in Extreme Precipitation over South China and Its Mechanism

Based on the daily precipitation data taken from 17 stations over South China during the period of 1961--2003, a sudden change in summer extreme precipitation events over South China in the early 1990s along with the possible mechanism connected with the anomalies of the latent heat flux over the South China Sea and the sensible heat flux over the Indochina peninsula are examined. The results show that both the annual and summer extreme precipitation events have obvious interdecadal variations and have increased significantly since the early 1990s. Moreover, the latent heat flux over the South China Sea and the sensible heat flux over the Indochina peninsula also have obvious interdecadal variations consistent with that of the extreme precipitation, and influence different months' extreme precipitation, respectively. Their effects are achieved by the interdecadal increases of the strengthening convection over South China through the South China Sea Summer Monsoon.