Reduced soil moisture contributes to more intense and more frequent heat waves in northern China

Heat waves have attracted increasing attention in recent years due to their frequent occurrence. The present study investigates the heat wave intensity and duration in China using daily maximum temperature from 753 weather stations from 1960 to 2010. In addition, its relationships with soil moisture local forcing on the ten-day period and monthly scales in spring and summer are analyzed using soil moisture data from weather stations and ERA40 reanalysis data. And finally, a mechanistic analysis is carried out using CAM5.1 (Community Atmosphere Model, version 5.1) coupled with CLM2 (Community Land Model, version 2). It is found that the heat wave frequency and duration show a sandwich distribution across China, with high occurrence rates in Southeast China and Northwest China, where the maximum frequency and duration exceeded 2.1 times and 9 days per year, respectively. The increasing trends in both duration and intensity occurred to the north of 35°N. The relationships between heat wave frequency in northern China in July (having peak distribution) and soil moisture in the earlier stage (from March to June) and corresponding period (July) are further analyzed, revealing a strong negative correlation in March, June and July, and thus showing that soil moisture in spring and early summer could be an important contributor to heat waves in July via positive subtropical high anomalies. However, the time scales of influence were relatively short in the semi-humid and humid regions, and longer in the arid region. The contribution in the corresponding period took place via positive subtropical high anomalies and positive surface skin temperature and sensible heat flux anomalies.