Observed Changes of Rain-Season Precipitation in China from 1960 to 2018

Abstract

Precipitation during the main rain season is important for natural ecosystems and human activities. In this study, according to daily precipitation data from 515 weather stations in China, we analyzed the spatiotemporal variation of rain-season (May–September) precipitation in China from 1960 to 2018. The results showed that rain-season precipitation decreased over China from 1960 to 2018. Rain-season heavy (25 ≤ p < 50 mm/day) and very heavy (p ≥ 50 mm/day) precipitation showed increasing trends, while rain-season moderate (10 ≤ p < 25 mm/day) and light (0.1 ≤ p < 10 mm/day) precipitation showed decreasing trends from 1960 to 2018. The temporal changes of precipitation indicated that rain-season light and moderate precipitation displayed downward trends in China from 1980 to 2010 and rain-season heavy and very heavy precipitation showed fluctuant variation from 1960 to 2018. Changes of rain-season precipitation showed clear regional differences. Northwest China and the Tibetan Plateau showed the largest positive trends of precipitation amount and days. In contrast, negative trends were found for almost all precipitation grades in North China Plain, Northeast China, and North Central China. Changes toward drier conditions in these regions probably had a severe impact on agricultural production. In East China, Southeast China and Southwest China, heavy and very heavy precipitation had increased while light and moderate precipitation had decreased. This result implied an increasing risk of flood and mudslides in these regions. The advance in understanding of precipitation change in China will contribute to exactly predict the regional climate change under the background of global climate change.

Seasonal characteristics and spatio-temporal variations of the extreme precipitation-air temperature relationship across China

“…Precipitation in China is concentrated in certain months of a year due to the monsoonal climate, which are defined as the wet (or rainy) season. Previous studies suggest that the wet season in China starts around May and ends in September, a time range may vary depending on the climate of each region (Li et al 2016, Zhang et al 2021). The wet season and dry season in different regions in the study were defined and adjusted based on the time range.…”

Factors Affecting the Spatiotemporal Variation of Precipitation in the Songhua River Basin of China

“…China has complex terrain and diverse climate types. The spatiotemporal variation tendencies for annual and extreme precipitation exhibit differences for different regions of China [16,17]. Guan et al [18] studied the precipitation in the Yangtze River Basin during 1960-2012.…”