Diurnal Variations of Summer Precipitation in the Beijing Area and the Possible Effect of Topography and Urbanization

The present study examined the diurnal variations of summer precipitation in the Beijing area by using subdaily precipitation and wind observations. A combined effect of topography and urbanization on the characteristics of diurnal variations was suggested. It was shown that stations located in the plain areaexhibited typical night rain peaks, whereas those in the mountainous area exhibited clear afternoon peaks ofprecipitation diurnal variations. The precipitation peaks were associated with wind fields around the Beijing area, which were found to be highly modulated by mountain-valley circulation and urban-country circulation.The lower-tropospheric wind exhibited a clear diurnal shift in its direction from north at 0800 LST to southat 2000 LST, which reflected mountain-valley circulation. The transitions from valley to mountain windand the opposite generally happened after sunset and sunrise, respectively, and both occurred earlier for thestations located closer to mountains. By comparing the diurnal variations of precipitation at stations in anortheast suburb, an urban area, and a southwest suburb, it was revealed that the northeast suburb grouphad the highest normalized rainfall frequency, but the southwest group had the lowest from late afternoon tolate evening. On the contrary, in the early morning from about 0200 to 1000 LST, the southwest group andurban group had the highest normalized rainfall frequency. This pattern might originate from the combined effects of mountain-valley topography and urbanization.     

Interaction of secondary circulations with the summer monsoon and diurnal rainfall over Hong Kong

A complete yearly record (1988) of surface measurements is used to examine the atmospheric diurnal secondary circulations over the entire area of Hong Kong in conjunction with spatial and temporal variations of surface temperature, wind speed and rainfall. Evidence of atmospheric diurnal secondary circulations is found at 10 sites. The occurrence of a summer morning rainfall maximum over the coast results from the interaction of the large-scale summer monsoon and local mesoscale secondary circulations. The afternoon onshore secondary circulation accelerates the advection of warm, humid unstable air and, coupled with the upward orographic lifting, produces enhanced rainfall along windward mountain ridges.Dynamical and scaling considerations suggest that the blocking effect is negligible and the primary forcing mechanism is land-sea temperature difference, but terrain effects are also important. Although the secondary circulation system's strength and timing vary, the circulation behaves like a classic sea-land breeze circulation, complicated by superimposed mountain-valley breezes.     

北半球夏季热带季节内振荡影响我国夏季降水的规律和预测方法

利用1979—2018年夏季逐日观测和再分析数据，对北半球夏季热带季节内振荡影响我国夏季降水的规律和预测方法开展了研究。首先，利用非传统滤波即异常相对倾向（Anomalous Relative Tendency，ART）方法获取了气象要素的次季节变化分量，并采用EOF分析方法提取了北半球夏季热带主要季节内振荡信号，结果表明向外长波辐射（Outgoing Longwave Radiation，OLR）异常相对倾向EOF前两个模态共同反映了北半球夏季起源于印度洋并向东和向北传播的、具有30~60 d周期的季节内振荡（Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Oscillation，BSISO）信号。回归分析表明，该季节内振荡信号能够导致当地及其北面地区低层风场和位势高度场异常，影响该地区及其北面地区的水汽辐合辐散，从而能引起我国尤其是我国南方地区季节内旱涝变化，并一定程度上反映了我国异常雨带的向北推进过程。而后，将提取的热带主要季节内振荡信号作为预测因子，将降水异常相对倾向作为先行预板对象，利用多元线性回归方法构建了我国夏季旬降水异常相对倾向的预报模型，将预报的旬降水异常相对倾向加上观测已知的降水近期背景距平，从而得到旬降水距平的预报结果。通过历史回报和交叉检验，评估了该模型对梅雨期我国江淮流域降水（包括2020年梅汛期异常降水）的次季节预测能力。     

Factors Limiting the Forecast Skill of the Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Oscillation in a Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Model

In this study,we evaluate the forecast skill of the subseasonal-to-seasonal(S2S)prediction model of the Beijing Climate Center(BCC)for the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation(BSISO).We also discuss the key factors that inhibit the BSISO forecast skill in this model.Based on the bivariate anomaly correlation coefficient(ACC)of the BSISO index,defined by the first two EOF modes of outgoing longwave radiation and 850-hPa zonal wind anomalies over the Asian monsoon region,we found that the hindcast skill degraded as the lead time increased.The ACC dropped to below 0.5for lead times of 11 days and longer when the predicted BSISO showed weakened strength and insignificant northward propagation.To identify what causes the weakened forecast skill of BSISO at the forecast lead time of 11 days,we diagnosed the main mechanisms responsible for the BSISO northward propagation.The same analysis was also carried out using the observations and the outputs of the four-day forecast lead that successfully predicted the observed northward-propagating BSISO.We found that the lack of northward propagation at the 11-day forecast lead was due to insufficient increases in low-level cyclonic vorticity,moistening and warm temperature anomalies to the north of the convection,which were induced by the interaction between background mean flows and BSISO-related anomalous fields.The BCC S2S model can predict the background monsoon circulations,such as the low-level southerly and the northerly and easterly vertical shears,but has limited capability in forecasting the distributions of circulation and moisture anomalies.     

Decadal long convection-permitting regional climate simulations over eastern China: evaluation of diurnal cycle of precipitation

With a decadal long period (1998–2010) climate simulation using the Weather Research and Forecasting model at convection-permitting resolution (4 km) (WRF_CPM), the diurnal cycles of precipitation amount (PA), frequency (PF) and intensity (PI) and their related large-scale atmospheric circulations over eastern China are analyzed. The simulations are further compared against the CN05.1, CMORPH v1.0 and the ECMWF Re-Analysis Interim (ERAIN). Results show that WRF_CPM can reasonably represent the observed seasonal rainfall and the atmospheric circulations. As for the features at a sub-daily scale, WRF_CPM is superior at reproducing the diurnal amplitude of PF that is similar to PA in terms of the spatial distribution. Moreover, the diurnal peak timing of summer PF and PA over the three sub-regions, i.e., North China (NC), Yangtze-Huaihe River basin (YHR) and South China (SC), can be properly reproduced by WRF_CPM. The observed precipitation systems exhibit obvious eastward propagation from the Plateau to its downstream, which may be due to the solenoid circulations associated with the low-level anomalous wind and moisture convergence. However, they are almost overestimated by WRF_CPM and in turn causing overestimated precipitation along YHR. The early morning precipitation in WRF_CPM has a larger fraction than CMORPH, which is related to the overestimated nocturnal low-level jet. Whereas, due to the solar heating and the land-sea breezes, the late-afternoon precipitation peak is mainly located along the coasts of eastern China, which matches well with the vertical motion in WRF_CPM.     

Diurnal variations of precipitation over the South China Sea

In this study, the diurnal variations of precipitation and related mechanisms over the South China Sea (SCS) are studied using the TRMM and other auxiliary atmospheric data. We have found that: (1) the amplitude and peak time of the diurnal precipitation over SCS exhibit remarkable regional features and seasonal variations. Diurnal variations are robust all the year around over the southern SCS especially over the Kalimantan Island and its offshore area. Over the middle to northern SCS, however, diurnal variations are noticeable only in the summer and autumn; (2) over the northern SCS precipitation peaks in early morning, while over the southern SCS it has two diurnal peaks: one in the early morning and another in the late afternoon; (3) the diurnal variations of precipitation over the SCS are related to the activity of the SCS summer monsoon and the ENSO events. The late afternoon precipitation increases remarkably after the onset of the SCS summer monsoon over the northern SCS. The early-morning rainfall peak is much more significant during La Nina years than during El Nino years; (4) the land–sea breeze is responsible for the diurnal cycle over the Kalimantan Island and its offshore area while the “static radiation–convection” mechanisms may result in the early-morning rainfall peak over the SCS.     

Impact of land–sea breezes at different scales on the diurnal rainfall in Taiwan

The formation mechanism of diurnal rainfall in Taiwan is commonly recognized as a result of local forcings involving solar thermal heating and island-scale land–sea breeze (LSB) interacting with orography. This study found that the diurnal variation of the large-scale circulation over the East Asia-Western North Pacific (EAWNP) modulates considerably the diurnal rainfall in Taiwan. It is shown that the interaction between the two LSB systems—the island-scale LSB and the large-scale LSB over EAWNP—facilitates the formation of the early morning rainfall in western Taiwan, afternoon rainfall in central Taiwan, and nighttime rainfall in eastern Taiwan. Moreover, the post-1998 strengthening of a shallow, low-level southerly wind belt along the coast of Southeast China appears to intensify the diurnal rainfall activity in Taiwan. These findings reveal the role of the large-scale LSB and its long-term variation in the modulation of local diurnal rainfall.     

我国东南沿岸及复杂山地后汛期降水日变化的数值研究

利用2009~2017年7~9月福建省逐小时地面加密自动站资料和2015~2017年7~9月厦门站的探空资料,通过K均值聚类法和中尺度数值模式(WRF3.9.1.1版本)理想数值模拟,分析了我国东南沿岸及复杂山地(福建)后汛期降水日变化特征,揭示了地形热力环流以及海陆风环流在热对流降水日变化形成中的作用,探讨了环境温湿廓线及风垂直廓线对热对流降水日峰值强度和日峰值出现时间的影响。结果发现:我国东南沿岸复杂山地(福建)后汛期降水日变化受地形热力环流和海陆风环流的影响和调制,白天辐射加热在复杂山地形成的局地热力环流激发出对流降雨带,午后受海风环流的影响,对流降雨带组织发展达到峰值,之后随着地形热力环流和海风环流减弱雨带逐渐减弱。武夷山及周边复杂山地的降水日变化主要受地形热力环流的影响,在午后对流降水达到峰值,夜间减弱几近消失。理想数值试验进一步证实了我国东南沿岸复杂山地地形热力环流对对流降雨的触发以及海陆风环流在山地对流雨带组织发展中的作用,环境温湿廓线以及风垂直廓线对热对流降水日峰值强度以及日峰值出现的时间具有重要影响,其中环境温湿廓线的大气抬升凝结高度、大气可降水量、大气的对流不稳定度以及大气中低层湿度分布的不同,会影响热对流降水日峰值强度,并通过影响山地热力对流触发时间,改变热对流降水日峰值时间,而环境风垂直廓线的低层气流强度和方向、中低层垂直风切变的不同,会影响地形热力对流系统的启动、组织发展和移动等特征,进而影响热对流降水日峰值强度以及热对流降水日峰值时间。     

Diurnal circulations and their multi-scale interaction leading to rainfall over the South China Sea upstream of the Philippines during intraseasonal monsoon westerly wind bursts

The morning diurnal precipitation maximum over the coastal sea upstream of the Philippines during intraseasonal westerly wind bursts is examined from observations and numerical model simulations. A well-defined case of precipitation and large-scale circulation over the coastal sea west of the Philippines during 17?C27 June 2004 is selected as a representative case. The hypothesis is that the mesoscale diurnal circulation over the Philippines and a large-scale diurnal circulation that is induced by large-scale differential heating over Asian continent and the surrounding ocean interact to produce the offshore precipitation maximum during the morning. Three-hourly combined satellite microwave and infrared rainfall retrievals define the morning rainfall peak during this period, and then later the stratiform rain area extends toward the open sea. A control numerical simulation in which a grid-nudging four-dimensional data assimilation (FDDA) is applied to force the large-scale diurnal circulation represents reasonably well the morning rainfall maximum. An enhanced low-level convergence similar to observations is simulated due to the interaction of the local- and large-scale diurnal circulations. The essential role of the local-scale diurnal circulation is illustrated in a sensitivity test in which the solar zenith angle is fixed at 7?am to suppress this diurnal circulation. The implication for climate diagnosis or modeling of such upstream coastal sea precipitation maxima is that the diurnal variations of both the local- and the large-scale circulations must be taken into consideration.     

基于ERAlnlerim资料的2003年淮河流域梅雨期水汽收支分析

以2003年6月29日-7月11日淮河流域梅雨期强降水为研究对象,采用ERAInterim再分析资料和站点降水资料,综合分析该期间慢降水时段水汽收支。结果表明：降水主要来自低层水汽辐合的贡献,而与低空急流相联系的水汽辐合具有显著的日变化,即后半夜至凌晨最大,午后最小,并由此造成了梅雨期强降水独特的日变化特征,最强降水出现在后半夜至凌晨;蒸发主要集中在白天,夜晚很小,数值约为降水量的15％,表明局地水循环的重要作用。针对淮河流域强降水区进行的水汽收支计算表明,水汽收支方程左、右两边数值在整个强降水时段具有较好的一致性,相关系数为0．77;对整个强降水期取时间平均,获得的水汽收支方程左、右两端数值的偏差为18％。     

Influence of the Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Oscillation on Extreme Temperature Events in the Northern Hemisphere

The impact of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) on extreme hot and cool events was investigated, by analyzing the observed and reanalysis data for the period from 1983 to 2012. It is found that the frequency of the extreme events in middle and high latitudes is significantly modulated by the BSISO convection in the tropics, with a 3–9-day lag. During phases 1 and 2 when the BSISO positive rainfall anomaly is primarily located over a northwest–southeast oriented belt extending from India to Maritime Continent and a negative rainfall anomaly appears in western North Pacific, the frequency of extreme hot events is 40% more than the frequency of non-extreme hot events. Most noticeable increase appears in midlatitude North Pacific (north of 40°N) and higher-latitude polar region.Two physical mechanisms are primarily responsible for the change of the extreme frequency. First, an upper-tropospheric Rossby wave train (due to the wave energy propagation) is generated in response to a negative heating anomaly over tropical western North Pacific in phases 1 and 2. This wave train consists of a strong high pressure anomaly center northeast of Japan, a weak low pressure anomaly center over Alaska, and a strong high pressure anomaly center over the western coast of United States. Easterly anomalies to the south of the two strong midlatitude high pressure centers weaken the climatological subtropical jet along 40°N, which is accompanied by anomalous subsidence and warming in North Pacific north of 40°N. Second, an enhanced monsoonal heating over South Asia and East Asia sets up a transverse monsoonal overturning circulation, with large-scale ascending (descending) anomalies over tropical Indian (Pacific) Ocean. Both the processes favor more frequent extreme hot events in higher-latitude Northern Hemisphere. An anomalous atmospheric general circulation model is used to confirm the tropical heating effect.     

山东半岛夏季降水异常的环流型及影响因子分析

利用1961—2016年华东地区106个气象观测站的日降水数据和再分析资料,分析引起山东半岛夏季降水异常的大气环流型及其与前期下垫面因子（海温和土壤湿度）的关系,结果发现：1）当孟加拉湾出现西南风异常,日本列岛以南和贝加尔湖西南侧地区分别呈反气旋和气旋式环流异常时,加强了向山东半岛的水汽输送,配合区域大气上升运动异常最终导致山东半岛夏季降水偏多;反之,当孟加拉湾出现西北风异常,日本列岛以南和贝加尔湖西南地区分别呈气旋和反气旋式环流异常时山东半岛降水偏少。2）孟加拉湾和北太平洋中部关键区的对流层整层位势高度与下垫面海温自春季持续至夏季存在显著正相关,当两个地区的整层位势高度均呈正异常时,分别对应夏季孟加拉湾的强西风气流和日本列岛以南的反气旋环流异常。3）区域土壤湿度异常引起的感热和潜热通量异常,可能是引起贝加尔湖关键区位势高度和山东半岛局地对流异常的原因：贝加尔湖西南地区土壤湿度偏大时,其上空对流层位势高度为负异常;山东半岛地区土壤湿度偏大时,其上空对流层大气出现异常上升运动。4）利用关键区春季下垫面因子（海温和土壤湿度）建立山东半岛夏季降水的统计预测模型,留一交叉检验的距平同号率达到75%。这些结果可为山东半岛夏季降水预测提供重要参考。     

夏季江南地区暖区暴雨的统计分析

本文首先给出江南地区暖区暴雨的定义,并按天气形势将其分为暖切变型、冷锋锋前型、副热带高压(以下简称副高)型和强西南急流型四类。然后利用2010—2016年5—9月常规和自动站逐时降水等非常规观测资料统计暖区暴雨的时空分布特征和降水性质等,并对暖区暴雨的形成原因进行初步分析。最后利用NCEP FNL全球分析资料,基于中尺度分析技术给出四类暖区暴雨的系统配置:(1)四类暖区暴雨均为分散性局地降水,降水多发生于山区、平原和湖泊交界处等不均匀下垫面附近。其中,暖切变型降水范围广、强度最大、极端性最明显且主要位于江南中西部;冷锋锋前型降水集中、强度较大且具有一定极端性,主要位于江南中部;副高型降水强度较弱,主要位于江南中东部;强西南急流主要位于江南西部。(2)暖切变型和强西南急流型以夜间降水为主,副高型降水集中在午后,冷锋锋前型降水日变化不明显。(3)暖区暴雨由稳定性和对流性降水共同组成且降水量越大,降水对流性越明显。(4)在低层高湿、不稳定能量积聚等有利背景下,暖切变型、冷锋型和副高型暖区降水多由边界层(地面)中尺度辐合线配合高低空急流耦合产生,强西南急流型一般形成于低空急流上的中尺度风速脉动及地面辐合线附近,且低空急流越强,暴雨强度越大。(5)暖切变型和冷锋型暖区暴雨的落区分别位于低层850hPa暖切变以南和地面锋前的显著湿区内,副高型和强西南急流型的暴雨落区分别位于副高内和强低空急流出口区左前侧的水汽充沛且大气层结不稳定区内。四类暖区暴雨常表现为长生命史的移动型中尺度雨团途经山区或河流湖泊等不均匀下垫面时,强度增大、移速减慢,形成暖区局地强降水。     

MJO对春季中国东部大气环流和降水的影响

利用再分析资料分析了MJO（Madden-Julian Oscillation）不同位相对春季中国东部降水的影响。结果表明：MJO处于位相3时对应长江及其以南地区降水增多,处于位相7时该区域降水减小。当热带MJO对流从位相1东传至位相4,与其相伴的北向辐散辐合流会在印度东北部—长江及副热带西北太平洋地区的对流层中低层产生明显的辐合异常,且在MJO位相3时中国东部的辐合异常达到最大。从Rossby波源角度分析,这种辐合异常会增强对流层中低层气旋性环流,导致MJO处于位相3时长江流域及其以南地区降水增多。同时,利用现代次季节和季节预报业务系统探讨了MJO与降水的关系对降水预报技巧的影响,发现预报降水和再分析产品的相关系数在MJO处于位相3和7时有所增加。     

中国大陆降水日变化研究进展

文章概述了中国大陆降水日变化的最新研究成果,给出了中国大陆降水日变化的整体图像,指出目前数值模式模拟降水日变化的局限性,为及时了解和掌握降水日变化研究进展、开展相关科学研究和进行降水预报服务提供了有价值的科学依据和参考。现有研究表明：（1）中国大陆夏季降水日变化的区域特征明显。在夏季,东南和东北地区的降水日峰值主要集中在下午;西南地区多在午夜达到降水峰值;长江中上游地区的降水多出现在清晨;中东部地区清晨、午后双峰并存;青藏高原大部分地区是下午和午夜峰值并存。（2）降水日变化存在季节差异和季节内演变。冷季降水日峰值时刻的区域差异较暖季明显减小,在冷季南方大部分地区都表现为清晨峰值;中东部地区暖季降水日变化随季风雨带的南北进退表现出清晰的季节内演变,季风活跃（间断）期的日降水峰值多发生在清晨（下午）。（3）持续性降水和局地短时降水的云结构特性以及降水日峰值出现时间存在显著差异。持续性降水以层状云特性为主,地表降水和降水廓线的峰值大多位于午夜后至清晨;短时降水以对流降水为主,峰值时间则多出现在下午至午夜前。（4）降水日变化涉及不同尺度的山-谷风、海-陆风和大气环流的综合影响,涉及复杂的云雨形成和演变过程,对流层低层环流日变化对降水日变化的区域差异亦有重要影响。（5）目前数值模式对中国降水日变化的模拟能力有限,且模拟结果具有很强的模式依赖性,仅仅提高模式水平分辨率并不能总是达到改善模拟结果的目的,关键是要减少存在于降水相关的物理过程参数化方案中的不确定性问题。     

Two Types of Diurnal Variations in Heavy Rainfall during July over Korea※

This study examined the characteristics of the diurnal variations of heavy rainfall (≥110 mm in 12 hours) in Korea and the related atmospheric circulation for July from 1980?2020. During the analysis period, two dominant pattens of diurnal variation of the heavy rainfall emerged: all-day heavy rainfall (AD) and morning only heavy rainfall (MO) types. For the AD-type, the heavy rainfall is caused by abundant moisture content in conjunction with active convection in the morning (0000?1200, LST; LST = UTC + 9) and the afternoon hours (1200?2400 LST). These systems are related to the enhanced moisture inflow and upward motion induced by the strengthening of the western North Pacific subtropical high and upper-tropospheric jet. For the MO-type, heavy rainfall occurs mostly in the morning hours; the associated atmospheric patterns are similar to the climatology. We find that the atmospheric pattern related to severe heavy rainfalls in 2020 corresponds to a typical AD-type and resembles the 1991 heavy-rainfall system in its overall synoptic/mesoscale circulations. The present results imply that extremely heavy rainfall episodes in Korea during the 2020 summer may occur again in the future associated with the recurring atmospheric phenomenon related to the heavy rainfall.     

Progress in Studies of the Precipitation Diurnal Variation over Contiguous China

This paper summarizes the recent progress in studies of the diurnal variation of precipitation over con- tiguous China. The main results are as follows. （1） The rainfall diurnal variation over contiguous China presents distinct regional features. In summer, precipitation peaks in the late afternoon over the south- ern inland China and northeastern China, while it peaks around midnight over southwestern China. In the upper and middle reaches of Yangtze River valley, precipitation occurs mostly in the early morning. Summer precipitation over the central eastern China （most regions of the Tibetan Plateau） has two diurnal peaks, i.e., one in the early morning （midnight） and the other in the late afternoon. （2） The rainfall diurnal variation experiences obvious seasonal and sub-seasonal evolutions. In cold seasons, the regional contrast of rainfall diurnal peaks decreases, with an early morning maximum over most of the southern China. Over the central eastern China, diurnal monsoon rainfall shows sub-seasonal variations with the movement of summer monsoon systems. The rainfall peak mainly occurs in the early morning （late afternoon） during the active （break） monsoon period. （3） Cloud properties and occurrence time of rainfall diurnal peaks are different for long- and short-duration rainfall events. Long-duration rainfall events are dominated by strat- iform precipitation, with the maximum surface rain rate and the highest profile occurring in the late night to early morning, while short-duration rainfall events are more related to convective precipitation, with the maximum surface rain rate and the highest profile occurring between the late afternoon and early night. （4） The rainfall diurnal variation is influenced by multi-scale mountain-valley and land-sea breezes as well as large-scale atmospheric circulation, and involves complicated formation and evolution of cloud and rainfall systems. The diurnal cycle of winds in the lower troposphere also contributes to the regional differences     

Impact of multi-scale oscillations at high and low latitudes on two persistent heavy rainfall events in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River

To investigate the multi-scale features in two persistent heavy rainfall (PHR) events in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLRYR) in June of 1982 and 1998, this study examines the impact of multi-scale oscillations in the north and south of 30°N on the PHR events by performing sensitivity experiments with the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model. It is found that the 60-day lowpass perturbation made a trivial contribution to the MLRYR precipitation during the PHR event in 1982. This PHR event resulted mainly from the combined effects of 30–60-day oscillation at low latitudes and 10–30-day oscillation at both high and low latitudes. The southwesterly anomalies associated with the 30–60-day anticyclonic anomaly over the northwestern Pacific facilitated moisture transport from the ocean to the MLRYR and enhanced the low-level convergence and ascending motion in the MLRYR. This similarly occurred in the 10–30-day oscillation as well. Moreover, the 10–30-day anomalies at high latitudes played a role in strengthening the large-scale low-level convergence over the MLRYR. The PHR event in 1998 was mainly related to the 60-day oscillation at both high and low latitudes and 30–60-day oscillation at low latitudes. The 60-day low-pass filtered anomalous cyclone at high latitudes in the north of 30°N contributed to the development of low-level convergence and ascending motion in northern MLRYR while the anomalous anticyclone at low latitudes in the south of 30°N not only increased the moisture in the MLRYR but also preconditioned the dynamical factors favorable for PHR over the whole area. The 30–60-day perturbations located north and south of 30°N worked together producing positive moisture anomaly in the MLRYR. In addition, the anomalous circulation in the south of 30°N tended to favor the development of ascending motion and low-level convergence in the MLRYR.     

Changes in the Diurnal Cycles of Precipitation over Eastern China in the Past 40 Years

This study analyzed the interdecadal changes in the diurnal variability of summer(June-August) precipitation over eastern China during the period 1966-2005 using hourly station rain gauge data.The results revealed that rainfall diurnal variations experienced significant interdecadal changes.Over the area to the south of the Yangtze River,as well as the area between the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers,the percentages of morning rainfall(0000-1200 LST) to total rainfall in terms of amount,frequency and intensity,all exhibited increasing interdecadal trends.On the contrary,over North China,decreasing trends were found.As a result,diurnal rainfall peaks also presented pronounced interdecadal variations.Over the area between the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers,there were 16 out of 46 stations with afternoon(1200-0000 LST) frequency peaks in the first 20 years of the 40-year period of study,while only eight remained in the latter 20 years.In North China,seven stations experienced the opposite changes,which accounted for about 21% of the total number of stations.The possible causes for the interdecadal changes in diurnal features were discussed.As the rainfall in the active monsoon period presents morning diurnal peaks,with afternoon peaks in the break period,the decrease(increase) of rainfall in the active monsoon period over North China(the area south of the Yangtze River and the area between the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers) may contribute to interdecadal changes in diurnal rainfall variability.     

Diurnal Variations of Precipitation over North China Regulated by the Mountain-plains Solenoid and Boundary-layer Inertial Oscillation

The mountain-plains solenoid(MPS) and boundary-layer inertial oscillation(BLO) are two typical regional forcings at the diurnal time scale. Their relative role in regulating the diurnal variations of summer rainfall over North China and their change under different monsoon conditions are studied using a 19-yr archive of satellite rainfall and reanalysis data. It is shown that both a strong MPS and BLO can increase nocturnal rainfall in the North China plains but exhibit evident regional differences. The MPS-induced nocturnal rainfall is relatively confined to the plains adjacent to mountains from late night to morning, due to the upward branch of the nighttime MPS. In contrast, the BLO-induced nocturnal rainfall strengthens from early evening and is more extensive in early morning over the open plains further east. The contrasting effect in the evening is related to the convergent(divergent) easterly anomaly in the plains under the BLO(MPS). The BLO also induces the relatively strong enhancement of moisture convergence and high humidity by the southerly anomaly at late night. On strong monsoon days, the nocturnal rainfall amount associated with the MPS and BLO increases considerably in the plains.Both regional forcings become effective in regulating the rainfall diurnal cycle with enhanced moisture convergence under monsoon conditions. Their induced diurnal amplitudes of moisture convergence can be comparable to the daily mean by monsoon flow. The regional forcings thus couple with monsoon flow to strengthen rainfall in the plains, particularly from late night to morning. The results highlight that a combination of regional and large-scale forcings can strongly regulate the warm-season climate.