North Atlantic Oscillation influence and weather types associated with winter total and extreme precipitation events in Spain

An analysis of winter intensity and frequency of precipitation is presented, based on 102 daily precipitation stations over Spain and the Balearic Islands for the 1997–2006 decade. Precipitation stations have been merged in the eight different regions which compose the analyzed area by the use of an EOF analysis. NAO influence on the intensity and frequency of precipitation of each region is described in terms of mean precipitation, mean rain frequency, the number of extreme events, changes in the precipitation distribution and the prevalent synoptic configuration. Results indicate a non-stationary response; NAO signal being more evident in mid–late winter. Strong regional differences in the response to NAO are also found, which vary according to the specific character of the precipitation under analysis. Thus, NAO exerts a clear effect on the intensity of total and extreme precipitation rates in northern and westernmost Spanish regions, whereas the frequency of precipitation is clearly affected by NAO in central and southwestern areas. While the correlation between NAO and precipitation is negative for most of the analyzed area, two regions reveal positive responses to NAO in total precipitation occurrence and intensity for specific months. Further analyses reveal asymmetric responses to opposite phases of NAO in the precipitation distributions of some regions. The complex regional relationship between NAO and precipitation is also revealed through the modulation of the former in the preferred Circulation Weather Types associated to precipitation in each region. This spatially non-homogeneous NAO signal stresses the need of caution when employing Iberian precipitation as a proxy for NAO.     

ENSO对中国南方降水低频变率的可能影响

利用1979—2012年Hadley中心海表温度、中国2 474个台站逐日降水和NCEP/NCAR全球再分析资料,分析了不同类型ENSO事件秋冬季和次年春季中国南方地区10~30 d降水低频变率的变化特征。结果表明,中国南方地区10~30 d降水低频变率对不同类型ENSO事件的响应存在显著的季节差异。EP型El Ni1o的冬季和次年春季,低频降水变率显著增强; CP型El Ni1o秋冬季低频降水强度呈现相反的异常,秋季低频降水偏弱,而冬季则偏强; La Ni1a事件期间中国南方低频降水变率的变化较小且不稳定。进一步分析发现,ENSO对南方地区10~30 d低频降水变率的影响与西北太平洋地区季节平均大气环流背景场对ENSO的响应密切相关。相比正常年份,EP型El Ni1o冬春季菲律宾反气旋性异常环流的强度较强且范围较大,其西侧的异常西南风向中国南方地区输送了大量水汽,从而有利于低频降水的增强; CP型El Ni1o年秋季西北太平洋表现为气旋性环流异常,抑制了热带水汽向东亚大陆的输送,而冬季却产生了与EP型El Ni1o年类似的异常反气旋环流,只是强度有所减弱,因此中国南方地区低频降水强度在秋冬季呈相反异常。La Ni1a年菲律宾附近虽然存在气旋性环流异常,但强度较弱,因而我国南方地区低频降水变率的响应也较弱。     

Annual and seasonal variability of precipitation in Vojvodina,Serbia

Annual and seasonal variability of precipitation observed at 92 stations in Vojvodina (Serbia) were analyzed during the period 1946–2006. The rainfall series were examined by means of the empirical orthogonal functions (EOF). The first set of singular vectors explains from 68.8 % (in summer) to 81.8 % (in winter) of the total variance. The temporal variability of the time series associated with the main EOF configurations (the principal components, PCs) was examined using the Mann–Kendall test and the spectral analysis. The time series of PC1 revealed decreasing trend in the winter and spring precipitation and increasing trend in the autumn, summer, and annual precipitation. The relationships between the first PC and circulation patterns, such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the East Atlantic (EA) pattern, and East Atlantic/West Russia pattern, were also investigated. The PC1, displaying temporal behavior of the first mode, demonstrated evident correspondence with the NAO index in analysis of the annual, winter, and autumn precipitation. Power spectra of the PC1 show statistically significant oscillations of about 3.3 years for the spring precipitation and about 8 and 15 years for the winter precipitation. Comparisons with spectral analysis of authors for some regions in Europe, most of them in the Mediterranean domain, show that similar periodicities are detected.     

Occurrence,durée et intensité des précipitations simulées par deux modèles régionaux canadiens du climat sur la région du Maghreb

[Translated by the editorial staff] Simulating the precipitation regime of Northern Africa is challenging for regional climate models, particularly because of the strong spatial and temporal variability of rain events in the region. In this study we evaluate simulations conducted with two recent versions of regional climate models (RCM) developed in Canada: the CRCM5 and CanRCM4. Both are also used in the COordinated Regional Climate Downscaling EXperiment (CORDEX)-Africa. The assessment is based on the occurrence, duration, and intensity indices of daily precipitation in Maghreb during the fall and spring seasons from 1998 to 2008. We also examine the links between the North-Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index, weather systems, and the precipitation regime over the region. During the rainy season (September to February), the CRCM5 reproduces the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation adequately, as well as the occurrence of days with rain, while the CanRCM4 underestimates precipitation extremes. The study of links between weather systems and the precipitation regime shows that, along the Atlantic coast, precipitation (occurrence, intensity, and wet sequences) increases significantly with storm frequency in the fall. In winter, these links grow stronger going east, from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean coast. The negative phases of the NAO index are statistically associated with the increase in rain intensity, extremes, and accumulation along the Atlantic coast in the fall. However, the link weakens in winter over these regions and strengthens along the Mediterranean coast as the precipitation frequency rises during negative phases of the NAO. Both RCMs generally reproduce the links between the NAO and the precipitation regime well, regardless of location.     

Regional Arctic sea ice variations as predictor for winter climate conditions

Seasonal prediction skill of winter mid and high northern latitudes climate from sea ice variations in eight different Arctic regions is analyzed using detrended ERA-interim data and satellite sea ice data for the period 1980–2013. We find significant correlations between ice areas in both September and November and winter sea level pressure, air temperature and precipitation. The prediction skill is improved when using November sea ice conditions as predictor compared to September. This is particularly true for predicting winter NAO-like patterns and blocking situations in the Euro-Atlantic area. We find that sea ice variations in Barents Sea seem to be most important for the sign of the following winter NAO—negative after low ice—but amplitude and extension of the patterns are modulated by Greenland and Labrador Seas ice areas. November ice variability in the Greenland Sea provides the best prediction skill for central and western European temperature and ice variations in the Laptev/East Siberian Seas have the largest impact on the blocking number in the Euro-Atlantic region. Over North America, prediction skill is largest using September ice areas from the Pacific Arctic sector as predictor. Composite analyses of high and low regional autumn ice conditions reveal that the atmospheric response is not entirely linear suggesting changing predictive skill dependent on sign and amplitude of the anomaly. The results confirm the importance of realistic sea ice initial conditions for seasonal forecasts. However, correlations do seldom exceed 0.6 indicating that Arctic sea ice variations can only explain a part of winter climate variations in northern mid and high latitudes.     

The North Atlantic Oscillation and oceanic precipitation variability

Global North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) oceanic precipitation features in the latter half of the twentieth century are documented based on the intercomparison of multiple state-of-the-art precipitation datasets and the analysis of the NAO atmospheric circulation and SST anomalies. Most prominent precipitation anomalies occur over the ocean in the North Atlantic, where in winter a “quadrupole-like” pattern is found with centers in the western tropical Atlantic, sub-tropical Atlantic, high-latitude eastern Atlantic and over the Labrador Sea. The extent of the sub-tropical and high-latitude center and the amount of explained variance (over 50%) are quite remarkable. However, the tropical Atlantic center is probably the most intriguing feature of this pattern apparently linking the NAO with ITCZ variability. In summer, the pattern is “tripole-like” with centers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea/Baltic Sea and in the sub-polar Atlantic. In the eastern Indian Ocean, the correlation is positive in winter and negative in summer, with some link to ENSO variability. The sensitivity of these patterns to the choice of the NAO index is minor in winter while quite important in summer. Interannual NAO precipitation anomalies have driven similar fresh water variations in these “key” regions. In the sub-tropical and high-latitude Atlantic in winter precipitation anomalies have been roughly 15 and 10% of climatology per unit change of the NAO, respectively. Decadal changes of the NAO during the last 50 years have also influenced precipitation and fresh water flux at these time-scales, with values lower (higher) than usual in the high-latitude eastern North Atlantic (Labrador Sea) in the 1960s and the late 1970s, and an opposite situation since the early 1980s; in summer the North Sea/Baltic region has been drier than usual during the period 1965–1975 when the NAO was generally positive.     

气候变暖背景下我国南方旱涝灾害时空格局变化

我国南方地区各季节降水异常主要包含三种优势模态：长江及其以南地区降水呈整体偏多或偏少的一致型,长江中下游流域与华南呈反相变化的南北反相型以及东南与西南呈反相变化的东西反相型。其中一致型是南方地区各季节降水变率的第一优势模态。总体而言,在1961—2013年南方地区平均降水存在明显的年代际和长期趋势变化。其中,夏季和冬季南方区域平均降水具有相似的年代际变化特征,而秋季降水的年代际演变几乎与上述两个季节的相反。不过,在近30年南方各季降水量发生年代际转折的时间不尽相同：春季和秋季降水分别在21世纪初期和20世纪80年代中后期之后进入干位相,冬季和夏季降水则分别在80年代中期和90年代初期之后进入湿位相。自21世纪初期以来,南方夏季和冬季降水逐渐转入中性位相。此外,南方春季和秋季降水均呈减少趋势;而夏季和冬季则相反,均呈增多趋势。对于西南地区,除了春季外,其他三个季节的降水均呈减少趋势,出现了季节连旱的特征,尤其是秋旱最为严重。不过,不管是季节降水量还是旱/涝日数,在我国南方大部分地区其线性变化趋势并不十分显著,这与南方降水年代际分量对降水变率存在较大贡献相关。分析还发现,我国南方区域洪涝受灾面积具有比较明显的年代际变化,而干旱受灾面积则没有明显的年代际变化特征,近十多年来西南地区干旱和洪涝受灾出现了交替互现的特点。     

Latest update of the climatology and changes in the seasonal distribution of precipitation over China

Based on daily precipitation data from 524 meteorological stations in China during the period 1960–2009, the climatology and the temporal changes (trends, interannual, and decadal variations) in the proportion of seasonal precipitation to the total annual precipitation were analyzed on both national and regional scales. Results indicated that (1) for the whole country, the climatology in the seasonal distribution of precipitation showed that the proportion accounted for 55 % in summer (June–August), for around 20 % in both spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November), and around 5 % in winter (December–February). But the spatial features were region-dependent. The primary precipitation regime, “summer–autumn–spring–winter”, was located in central and eastern regions which were north of the Huaihe River, in eastern Tibet, and in western Southwest China. The secondary regime, “summer–spring–autumn–winter”, appeared in the regions south of the Huaihe River, except Jiangnan where spring precipitation dominated, and the southeastern Hainan Island where autumn precipitation prevailed. (2) For the temporal changes on the national scale, first, where the trends were concerned, the proportion of winter precipitation showed a significantly increasing trend, while that of the other three seasons did not show any significant trends. Second, for the interannual variation, the variability in summer was the largest among the four seasons and that in winter was the smallest. Then, on the decadal scale, China experienced a sharp decrease only in the proportion of summer precipitation in 2000. (3) For the temporal changes on the regional scale, all the concerned 11 geographic regions of China underwent increasing trends in the proportion of winter precipitation. For spring, it decreased over the regions south of the Yellow River but increased elsewhere. The trend in the proportion of summer precipitation was generally opposite to that of spring. For autumn, it decreased over the other ten regions except Inner Mongolia with no trend. It is noted that the interannual variability of precipitation seasonality is large over North China, Huanghuai, and Jianghuai; its decadal variability is large over the other regions, especially over those regions south of the Yangtze River.     

Variations of winter precipitation over southeastern China in association with the North Atlantic Oscillation

The synoptic-scale winter precipitation variations over southeastern China (22°–32°N, 105°–125°E) and their association with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) during 1951–2007 are investigated in this paper. The variability of wintertime precipitation is characterized by meridional displacement of its maximum center. Two precipitation regimes, with maximum centers located over the Yangtze and Pearl River basins, are identified via cluster analysis. Time-lagged analyses suggest that the two precipitation regimes are connected with the decaying phases of positive NAO (NAO+) events of different amplitudes. A strong (medium) NAO+ event is defined as one when the maximum amplitude of the NAO index exceeds 1.0 (in the range of 0.7–1.0) for at least 4 consecutive days and drops to less than 0.3 within 7 days following the peak index. After the peak of a strong NAO+, southerly winds expand northward to the Yangtze River (about 30°N), a northeast–southwest-tilted trough migrates to east of Lake Baikal, and cold air intrudes into central eastern China; thus, precipitation is strengthened over the Yangtze River basin where warm and cold air masses converge. In comparison, during the decaying phase of medium NAO+ events, the southerly winds are relatively weak, and precipitation tends to be enhanced at lower latitudes (around 25°N). Further analysis indicates that downstream Rossby-wave propagation may account for the latitudinal expansion of the southerly wind anomalies over the eastern coastal area of China during the decaying phase of NAO+ events of different strengths.     

华西秋雨趋势变化的年代际转折及其成因分析

华西地区（25°N～35°N,100°E～110°E）是中国秋季降水主要地区之一。本文根据华西地区72站月平均降水资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料和哈德莱中心海温及海冰资料,利用相关和回归等分析方法研究了1961～2014年华西地区秋雨的年代际变率及其与大气环流和海温的关系。华西秋季降水年代际变率分解为呈现显著下降趋势的P1时段（1964～1998年）和呈现上升趋势的P2时段（1998～2014年）发现,对应P1时段降水下降趋势的华西区域大气位势高度异常场具有西正东负结构,大尺度环流场显示为从大西洋东传经北极巴伦支—喀拉海区至东亚的准纬向波列,该波列体现了上游负位相NAO（North Atlantic Oscillation）的调制作用。对于P2时段的降水上升趋势,其位势高度场配置与P1时段相反,而大尺度波列结构在欧亚大陆的部分呈西北—东南走向,且整体偏西,体现了上游正位相NAO的调制作用。这种环流结构导致华西区域西北侧形成负异常中心,有利于西南暖湿气流进入研究区域。影响华西秋雨趋势转折的海温关键区位于热带中东太平洋和热带印度洋。在P1时段,华西秋雨降水趋势与同期热带中东太平洋和印度洋海温呈显著正相关关系。而在P2时段,华西秋雨与前冬热带中东太平洋和印度洋海温存在显著负相关,前冬西北太平洋海温正异常也同时影响了华西秋雨的上升趋势。     

中国降水的季节性

本文使用一套基于中国气象局所属的2416个台站数据所得的高分辨降水资料,对1961~2013年中国降水季节性进行了研究。就全国平均而言,各季节降水占全年降水百分率最高的为夏季（56.5%）,春季（19.3%）和秋季（18.9%）次之,冬季（5.3%）最少;针对不同地区,各季节降水百分率存在很大差异,例如华南春季降水最多、东北至高原一线秋季降水大于春季降水。春、夏两季降水百分率高值（低值）区域略呈现出降水百分率减少（增多）趋势,秋季整体上略微减少,冬季则显著增加;季节降水百分率的变率整体表现为夏季大而冬季小,其西部的变率与地形为显著负相关,东部变率的大值区位置随季节变化;秋冬两季的降水百分率变率有显著增加,各季节不同地区变率的变化趋势存在明显差异。     

Variability and trends of sub-continental scale surface climate in the twentieth century. Part I: observations

An analysis is presented of observed temperature and precipitation variability and trends throughout the twentieth century over 22 land regions of sub-continental scale. Summer, winter and annual data are examined using a range of variability measures. Statistically significant warming trends are found over the majority of regions. The trends have a magnitude of up to 2 K per century and are maximum over cold climate regions. Only a few precipitation trends are statistically significant. Regional temperature and precipitation show pronounced variability at scales from interannual to multidecadal, with maximum over cold climate regions. The interannual variability shows significant variations and trends throughout the century, the latter being mostly negative for precipitation and both positive and negative for temperature. Temperature and precipitation anomalies show a chaotic-type behavior in which the regional conditions oscillate around the long term mean trend and occasionally fall into long-lasting (up to 10 years or more) anomaly regimes. A generally modest temporal correlation is found between anomalies of different regions and between temperature and precipitation anomalies for the same region. This correlation is mostly positive for temperature in cases of adjacent regions or regions in the same latitude belts. Several cases of negative inter-regional precipitation anomaly correlation are found. The ENSO significantly affects the anomaly variability patterns over a number of regions, primarily in tropical areas, while the NAO significantly affects the variability over northern mid- and high-latitude regions of Europe and Asia.     

欧亚季节环流气候平均态和气候变率：20CR再分析资料在欧亚及中国东部地区的评估

本文评估了美国国家大气海洋局（NOAA）新发布的20世纪再分析资料（20CR）对欧亚季节环流气候平均态和气候变率及中国东部气温降水的刻画能力。结果表明:20CR再分析资料对欧亚地区四季环流气候平均态刻画能力与NCEP2资料的相比,均呈现北部中高纬度系统性偏高,南部中低纬度系统性偏低的特点,导致描绘的东亚冬季风偏弱,夏季风偏强。这可能与20CR资料在极地海岸地区海冰资料处理时产生的差错有关。与中国东部的站点资料对比则显示20CR对我国东部气温的刻画偏低,而对降水的刻画偏高,站点相关性气温好于降水,东南沿海地区优于内陆地区。平均场和空间相关场结合来看,秋季气温和降水20CR与站点观测资料吻合最好。20CR资料较好地刻画近百年北半球冬夏季的气候指数（北极涛动、北大西洋涛动、北太平洋涛动、东亚冬季风、阿留申低压等）的年际变率及年代际变化特征,很好地刻画了阿留申低压1970年代末的年代际增强,西伯利亚高压1970年代末的下降和1990年后的上升趋势及北太平洋涛动、北大西洋涛动和北极涛动指数1970年代末期由负位相到正位相的年代际转变。     

Competition of NAO regime changes and increasing greenhouse gases and aerosols with respect to Arctic climate projections

Regional magnitudes and patterns of Arctic winter climate changes in consequence of regime changes of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are analyzed using a regional atmospheric climate model. The regional model has been driven with data of positive and negative NAO phases from a control simulation as well as from a time-dependent greenhouse gas and aerosol scenario simulation. Both global model simulations include a quite realistic interannual variability of the NAO with pronounced decadal regime changes and no or rather weak long-term NAO trends. The results indicate that the effects of NAO regime changes on Arctic winter temperatures and precipitation are regionally significant over most of northwestern Eurasia and parts of Greenland. In this regard, mean winter temperature variations of up to 6 K may occur over northern Europe. Precipitation and synoptic variability are also regionally modified by NAO regime changes, but not as significantly as temperatures. However, the climate changes associated with the NAO are in some regions clearly stronger than those attributed to enhanced greenhouse gases and aerosols, indicating that projected global changes of the atmospheric composition and internal circulation changes are competing with each other in their importance for the Arctic climate evolution in the near future. The knowledge of the future NAO trend on decadal and longer time scales appears to be vitally important in terms of a regional assessment of climate scenarios for the Arctic.     

Temperature and precipitation trends in Canada during the 20th century

Abstract

Trends in Canadian temperature and precipitation during the 20th century are analyzed using recently updated and adjusted station data. Six elements, maximum, minimum and mean temperatures along with diurnal temperature range (DTR), precipitation totals and ratio of snowfall to total precipitation are investigated. Anomalies from the 1961–1990 reference period were first obtained at individual stations, and were then used to generate gridded datasets for subsequent trend analyses. Trends were computed for 1900–1998 for southern Canada (south of 60°N), and separately for 1950–1998 for the entire country, due to insufficient data in the high arctic prior to the 1950s.

From 1900–1998, the annual mean temperature has increased between 0.5 and 1.5°C in the south. The warming is greater in minimum temperature than in maximum temperature in the first half of the century, resulting in a decrease of DTR. The greatest warming occurred in the west, with statistically significant increases mostly seen during spring and summer periods. Annual precipitation has also increased from 5% to 35% in southern Canada over the same period. In general, the ratio of snowfall to total precipitation has been increasing due mostly to the increase in winter precipitation which generally falls as snow and an increase of ratio in autumn. Negative trends were identified in some southern regions during spring. From 1950–1998, the pattern of temperature change is distinct: warming in the south and west and cooling in the northeast, with similar magnitudes in both maximum and minimum temperatures. This pattern is mostly evident in winter and spring. Across Canada, precipitation has increased by 5% to 35%, with significant negative trends found in southern regions during winter. Overall, the ratio of snowfall to total precipitation has increased, with significant negative trends occurring mostly in southern Canada during spring.

Indices of abnormal climate conditions are also examined. These indices were defined as areas of Canada for 1950–1998, or southern Canada for 1900–1998, with temperature or precipitation anomalies above the 66th or below the 34th percentiles in their relevant time series. These confirmed the above findings and showed that climate has been becoming gradually wetter and warmer in southern Canada throughout the entire century, and in all of Canada during the latter half of the century.     

Large-scale variability modes of freshwater flux and precipitation over the Atlantic

 Precipitation (P) and freshwater (E-P) fluxes at the air-sea interface are investigated in the Atlantic Ocean sector using the reanalyses of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ERA) and of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). A canonical correlation analysis method between these fields and sea level pressure (SLP) is used to identify patterns. We also test whether precipitation and freshwater fluxes can be reconstructed from SLP data. In the winter months, patterns associated with both the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the East Atlantic (EA) mode are identified. The signals are strong enough to be reconstructed from the reanalysis fields, and they correspond to a significant part of the variability. The NAO signal is more robust than the EA one. The NAO-related variability mode is also present when the monthly precipitation rate is averaged for the winter season and even for annual averages. However, in the later case, other variability of natural origin (for instance, ENSO variability) or noise from the model and assimilation system prevents the reconstruction of E-P associated with NAO from SLP variability. Difficulties are identified in the tropical Atlantic with a different behaviour of NCEP and ERA precipitation variability, especially near the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The ERA patterns suggest a NAO signature in the tropical Atlantic which has clear monthly patterns and indicates a link between the phase of NAO and changes in the position and intensity of ITCZ. However, the analysis of winter rainfall based on satellite and in situ data does not support the monthly tropical pattern of ERA precipitation although it suggests a relation between convection near 15°S and NAO during northern winter. Received: 10 February 2000 / Accepted: 7 May 2001     

Trends and Variability in Sea Ice and Icebergs off the Canadian East Coast

ABSTRACT

Seasonal time series of sea-ice area or extent in several regions along the east coast of Canada were compiled from several sources for the period 1901 to 2013 and compared with an index of ice extent off southwest Greenland, iceberg season length south of 48°N, air temperature, and other climate indices. Trends in winter ice area and iceberg season length are significant over the past 100 years and 30 years. Variability of winter ice area and iceberg season length is associated with a combination of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) indices superimposed on a negative trend. Thus, large declines in ice area and iceberg season length in the 1920s and 1990s can be attributed to a decreasing NAO index and a shift to the positive phase of the AMO at the end of these decades. Ice extent in southern areas such as the Scotian Shelf is more strongly correlated with the Western Atlantic index than with the NAO. Ice area trends (in percent per decade) are larger in magnitude and account for twice as much of the variance in ice area for summer than for winter, with summer trends significant over 30-, 60- and 100-year periods. Sea-ice variability is generally consistent with air temperature variability in the various regions; in the 1930s, during the early twentieth-century warming period, ice anomalies were higher and temperature anomalies were lower along the coast of eastern Canada than along the coast of southwestern Greenland.     

安徽省近60年雨日、降水量及雨强的气候变化特征

采用安徽省15站近60年来的降水资料,研究了季节和年雨日、降水量及雨强的气候变化特征.结果表明：1）空间分布上,雨日、降水量"南多北少",雨强中北部地区相当,皆小于南部地区;雨日数南北在冬春季相差较大,降水量夏季最多、冬季最少,雨强上南北在春季相差较大;雨日、降水量及雨强在年和季节上基本呈现显著正相关关系.2）时间演变上,雨日在减少,降水量、雨强在增多（大）,且表现为两阶段的变化特征;小波分析显示约10 a的年代际周期变化,雨日上存在、降水量上在衰减、雨强上则不明显,约5 a、3 a的周期变化存在较多;雨日在春秋季减少明显,降水量春秋季减少,夏冬季增加但不明显,雨强尤以夏冬季增大明显;无论是年还是各季节的时间演变上,降水量与雨日、雨强均呈显著正相关,但雨日与雨强之间相关性则差些.     

1951～2009年东亚地区日降水趋势特征分析

研究大陆或次大陆尺度日降水长期趋势变化规律,对于检测、理解区域气候和陆地水循环对全球气候变暖的响应特征十分重要。利用美国国家气候资料中心(NCDC)和中国基准气候站、基本气象站网降水观测资料,在对该站点资料进行基本质量控制基础上,选取东亚地区619个站1951～2009年日降水数据,按照百分位阈值对降水进行分级,共分为弱、中、强、极强4个级别,用经纬度网格面积加权平均方法构建区域平均的时间序列,分析了各类降水事件长期变化趋势的时空特征。结果表明:东亚地区近59年平均总降水量表现出不显著下降趋势,降水日数没有出现趋势性变化,平均日降水强度略有减小;区域平均的年降水量、降水日数和日降水强度在中国北方大部、蒙古东部、俄罗斯远东地区南部和日本列岛多呈减少趋势,而在俄罗斯中西伯利亚南部、朝鲜半岛南部和中国长江中下游流域一般表现为增加。从季节上看,近59年东亚区域平均的冬、春季降水量、降水日数和日降水强度均呈增加趋势,而夏、秋季一般呈减少趋势,仅夏季日降水强度略有增加。降水的年内分配出现均匀化趋势。从不同级别降水事件看,近59年来东亚区域平均的各级别降水量均为下降趋势,中降水、强降水和极强降水日数也呈现下降趋势,弱降水日数表现出较明显增加;仅有全区秋季强降水量、日数减少趋势和冬季中降水量、日数增加趋势通过了显著性水平检验。分析还发现,近30年(1980～2009年)东亚地区日降水趋势变化出现了新的特征,主要表现为大部分地区降水日数呈现增加,日降水强度减少,45°N以南多数台站降水量也增加,全区降水有向非极端化方向发展趋势。     

Snow pack in the Romanian Carpathians under changing climatic conditions

Snow pack characteristics and duration are considered to be key indicators of climate change in mountain regions, especially during the winter season (herein considered to last from the 1st of November to the 30th of April). Deviations recorded in the regime of the main explanatory variables of snow pack changes (i.e. temperature and precipitation) offer useful information on winter climate variability, in the conditions of the winter warming trend already seen in some areas of the Romanian Carpathians. The present work focuses on changes and trends in snow pack characteristics and its related parameters, registered at the 15 weather stations located in the alpine, sub-alpine and forest belts in all the three Romanian Carpathian branches (>1,000 m) over the 1961–2003 period. Changes in the snow pack regime were investigated in relation with the modifications of winter temperature and precipitation having been detected mostly at the end of the twentieth century. A winter standardized index was calculated to group winters over the 43-year period into severity classes and detect the respective changes. Links between the number of snow cover days and seasonal NAO index were also statistically analysed in this study. The general results show large regional and altitudinal variations and the complex character of the climate in the Romanian Carpathians, leading to the idea of an ongoing warming process associated with a lower incidence of snow cover, affecting to a large extent the forested mountain areas located below 1,600–1,700 m altitude. Also negative and weak correlations were found, particularly over the December–March interval, between the number of snow cover days and seasonal NAO index values.