Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Droughts and Floods in Shandong Province,China and Their Relationship with Food Loss

Mastering the pattern of food loss caused by droughts and floods aids in planning the layout of agricultural production,determining the scale of drought and flood control projects,and reducing food loss.The Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index is calculated using monthly meteorological data from 1984 to 2020 in Shandong Province of China and is used to identify the province’s drought and flood characteristics.Then,food losses due to droughts and floods are estimated separately from disaster loss data.Finally,the relationship between drought/flood-related factors and food losses is quantified using methods such as the Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression.The results show that:1)there is a trend of aridity in Shandong Province,and the drought characteristic variables are increasing yearly while flood duration and severity are decreasing.2)The food losses caused by droughts in Shandong Province are more than those caused by floods,and the area where droughts and floods occur frequently is located in Linyi City.3)The impact of precipitation on food loss due to drought/flood is significant,followed by potential evapotranspiration and temperature.4)The relationship between drought and flood conditions and food losses can be precisely quantified.The accumulated drought duration of one month led to 1.939×10^(4)t of grain loss,and an increase in cumulative flood duration of one month resulted in1.134×10^(4)t of grain loss.If the cumulative drought severity and average drought peak increased by one unit,food loss due to drought will increase by 1.562×10^(4)t and 1.511×10^(6)t,respectively.If the cumulative flood severity and average flood peak increase by one unit,food loss will increase by 8.470×103t and 1.034×10^(6)t,respectively.

The Response of Anomalous Vertically Integrated Moisture Flux Patterns Related to Drought and Flood in Southern China to Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly

With the extreme drought(flood)event in southern China from July to August in 2022(1999)as the research object,based on the comprehensive diagnosis and composite analysis on the anomalous drought and flood years from July to August in 1961-2022,it is found that there are significant differences in the characteristics of the vertically integrated moisture flux(VIMF)anomaly circulation pattern and the VIMF convergence(VIMFC)anomaly in southern China in drought and flood years,and the VIMFC,a physical quantity,can be regarded as an indicative physical factor for the"strong signal"of drought and flood in southern China.Specifically,in drought years,the VIMF anomaly in southern China is an anticyclonic circulation pattern and the divergence characteristics of the VIMFC are prominent,while those are opposite in flood years.Based on the SST anomaly in the typical draught year of 2022 in southern China and the SST deviation distribution characteristics of abnormal draught and flood years from 1961 to 2022,five SST high impact areas(i.e.,the North Pacific Ocean,Northwest Pacific Ocean,Southwest Pacific Ocean,Indian Ocean,and East Pacific Ocean)are selected via the correlation analysis of VIMFC and the global SST in the preceding months(May and June)and in the study period(July and August)in 1961-2022,and their contributions to drought and flood in southern China are quantified.Our study reveals not only the persistent anomalous variation of SST in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean but also its impact on the pattern of moisture transport.Furthermore,it can be discovered from the positive and negative phase fitting of SST that the SST composite flow field in high impact areas can exhibit two types of anomalous moisture transport structures that are opposite to each other,namely an anticyclonic(cyclonic)circulation pattern anomaly in southern China and the coastal areas of east China.These two types of opposite anomalous moisture transport structures can not only drive the formation of drought(flood)in southern China but also exert its influence on the persistent development of the extreme weather.

Combined Impacts of Warm Central Equatorial Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures and Anthropogenic Warming on the 2019 Severe Drought in East China

A severe drought occurred in East China(EC)from August to October 2019 against a background of long-term significant warming and caused widespread impacts on agriculture and society,emphasizing the urgent need to understand the mechanism responsible for this drought and its linkage to global warming.Our results show that the warm central equatorial Pacific(CEP)sea surface temperature(SST)and anthropogenic warming were possibly responsible for this drought event.The warm CEP SST anomaly resulted in an anomalous cyclone over the western North Pacific,where enhanced northerly winds in the northwestern sector led to decreased water vapor transport from the South China Sea and enhanced descending air motion,preventing local convection and favoring a precipitation deficiency over EC.Model simulations in the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble Project confirmed the physical connection between the warm CEP SST anomaly and the drought in EC.The extremely warm CEP SST from August to October 2019,which was largely the result of natural internal variability,played a crucial role in the simultaneous severe drought in EC.The model simulations showed that anthropogenic warming has greatly increased the frequency of extreme droughts in EC.They indicated an approximate twofold increase in extremely low rainfall events,high temperature events,and concurrently dry and hot events analogous to the event in 2019.Therefore,the persistent severe drought over EC in 2019 can be attributed to the combined impacts of warm CEP SST and anthropogenic warming.

Numerical Study of Ural Blocking High＇s Effect Upon Asian Summer Monsoon Circulation and East China Flood and Drought

In terms of Kuo-Qian pesigma incorporated coordinate five-level primitive equation spheric band (70°N-30°S)model with the Ural high's effect introduced into it as initial and boundary conditions, study is made of the high's influence on Asian summer monsoon circulation and dryness / wetness of eastern China based on case contrast andcontrol experiments. Rusults show that as an excitation source, the blocking high produces a SE-NW stationarywavetrain with its upper-air atnicyclonic divergent circulation oust over a lower-level trough zone) precisely over themiddle to lower reaches of the Changjiang River, enhancing East Asian westerly jet, a situation that contributes toPerturbation growth, causing an additional secondary meridional circulation at the jet entrance, which intensifies theupdraft in the monsoon area. As such, the high's presence and its excited steady wavetrain represent the large-scalekey factors and acting mechanisms for the rainstorm over the Changjiang-Huaihe River catchment in the easternpart of the land.

Studies on the Northern Early Summer Teleconnection Patterns, Their Interannual Variations and Relation to Drought / Flood in China

By using the one-point correlation method, calculations have been made of the northern early summer 500 hPa teleconnection patterns. Seven teleconnection patterns are revealed, namely, the Western Atlantic (WA), the Eastern Atlantic (EA), the Eurasian (EU), the Bengal / Northern Pacific (BNP), the Western Pacific (WP), the East Asian / Pacific (EAP), and the Huanghe / East Asian (HEA) patterns. Their centers are determined and their yearly intensity indices (1951-1990) are calculated. On this basis the relationship between their interannual variations and the drought / flood in China is examined. It is noted that the EU, HEA and EAP wave trains are closely related to the drought / flood in China. The HEA and EAP patterns strongly influence the precipitation in eastern China. For example, the fierce floods experienced in 1991 early summer over China are related to the weak EAP and strong HEA patterns.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE 30 TO 60 DAY OSCILLATION OF ATMOSPHERIC HEAT SOURCE AND THE DROUGHT AND FLOOD EVENTS IN JUNE IN THE SOUTH OF CHINA

Based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and the observed precipitation data in the south of China from 1958 to 2000,the impact of 30 to 60 day oscillation of atmospheric heat sources on the drought and flood events in June in the south of China is discussed.During the flood(drought) events,there exists an anomalous low-frequency anticyclone(cyclone) at the low level of the troposphere over the South China Sea and the northwestern Pacific,accompanied with anomalous low-frequency heat sinks(heat sources),while there exists an anomalous low-frequency cyclone(anticyclone) with anomalous heat sources(sinks) over the area from the south of China to the south of Japan.On average,the phase evolution of the low-frequency in drought events is 7 to 11 days ahead of that in flood events in May to June in the south of China.In flood events,low-frequency heat sources and cyclones are propagated northward from the southern South China Sea,northwestward from the warm pool of the western Pacific and westward from the northwestern Pacific around 140°E,which have very important impact on the abundant rainfall in June in the south of China.However,in drought events,the northward propagations of the low-frequency heat sources and cyclones from the South China Sea and its vicinity are rather late compared with those in flood events,and there is no obvious westward propagation of the heat sources from the northwestern Pacific.The timing of the low-frequency heat source propagation has remarkable impact on the June rainfall in the south of China.

CHARACTERISTICS OF RAINFALL VARIATION OVER EAST CHINA FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH DROUGHTS AND FLOODS

With the precipitation data of 113 stations in East China during the last 50 years,the characteristics of the precipitation,including Precipitation Concentration Degree (PCD) and Precipitation Concentration Period (PCP) and their tendencies,are analyzed.The results show that the PCD in the northern part of the region is markedly higher than that in the southern part,but the PCP in the south is much earlier than that in the north by about one and a half months,which displays significant regional differences in precipitation.With the global warming,precipitation over East China shows an increasing tendency,but PCD displays a trend that is neither increasing nor decreasing.At the same time,the PCP is later than before,which can be mainly found in Jiangxi and southern Henan provinces.As a result,there are strong associations between the precipitation,PCD and PCP,which can be shown in the years with more precipitation,stronger PCD and later-than-usual PCP.In a word,the abnormal distribution of precipitation,PCP,and PCD over East China results in more extreme events of precipitation and more droughts and floods.

Drought and flood characteristics in the farmingpastoral ecotone of northern China based on the Standardized Precipitation Index

The farming-pastoral ecotone of northern China(FPENC)provides an important ecological barrier which restrains the invasion of desert into Northwest China.Studying drought and flood characteristics in the FPENC can provide scientific support and practical basis for the protection of the FPENC.Based on monthly precipitation data from 115 meteorological stations,we determined the changes in climate and the temporal and spatial variations of drought and flood occurrence in the FPENC during 1960-2020 using the Standardized Precipitation Index(SPI),Morlet wavelet transform,and inverse distance weighted interpolation method.Annual precipitation in the FPENC showed a slightly increasing trend from 1960 to 2020,with an increasing rate of about 1.15 mm/a.The interannual SPI exhibited obvious fluctuations,showing an overall non-significant upward trend(increasing rate of 0.02/a).Therefore,the study area showed a wetting trend in recent years.Drought and flood disasters mainly occurred on an interannual change cycle of 2-6 and 9-17 a,respectively.In the future,a tendency towards drought can be expected in the FPENC.The temporal and spatial distribution of drought and flood differed in the northwestern,northern,and northeastern segments of the FPENC,and most of the drought and flood disasters occurred in local areas.Severe and extreme drought disasters were concentrated in the northwestern and northeastern segments,and severe and extreme flood disasters were mainly in the northeastern segment.Drought was most frequent in the northwestern segment,the central part of the northeastern segment,and the northern part of the northern segment.Flood was most frequent in the western part of the northwestern segment,the eastern part of the northeastern segment,and the eastern and western parts of the northern segment.The accurate evaluation of the degrees of drought and flood disasters in the FPENC will provide scientific basis for the regional climate study and critical information on which to base decisions regarding environmental protection and socio-economic development in this region.

Comparison of trends and frequencies of drought in central North China and sub- Saharan Africa from 1901 to 2010

This study compares the trends and frequencies of drought between central North China(CNC) and(SSA) for the periods 1901–2010 and 1951–2010. The Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index(SPEI) and Self-Calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index(sc-PDSI) are used to assess the drought trends and frequencies. In general, the results exhibit downward trends of drought index values and upward trends of drought frequencies over CNC and SSA. A high rate of the trends' slopes for the drought index and a low rate of the frequencies' slopes is found over CNC with respect to SPEI and sc-PDSI. Furthermore, some abrupt changes are revealed after applying the sequential Mann–Kendall test to detect change points. These findings offer insight into the trends and frequencies of drought over the regions studied. Further analysis needs to be undertaken to understand the mechanisms underlying the occurrence of drought in these areas.

CLIMATOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE ONSET OF ASIAN SUMMER MONSOON AS REVEALED BY HIRS-Tb12 AND DROUGHT AND FLOODS IN EASTERN CHINA

As shown in comparison and study of the HIRS-Tb12 data and conventional data, temperature, humidity and vertical motion are structured differently in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, which are well depicted with the HIRS-Tb12 data. When high pressures rapidly decrease over the regions of South China Sea and Arabian Sea with the HIRS-Tb12 less than 200 W/m2, monsoons will set off in the South China Sea, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, respectively. From a year of significant drought to one of significant floods, the trend of evolution is significantly different in the downdraft areas of the subtropical highs between the two hemispheres.

Increasing Flash Floods in a Drying Climate over Southwest China

In a globally warming world, subtropical regions are generally expected to become drier while the tropics and mid-high latitudes become wetter. In line with this, Southwest China, close to 25°N, is expected to become increasingly prone to drought if annual mean precipitation decreases. However, despite this trend, changes in the temporal distribution of moisture supply might actually result in increased extreme rainfall in the region, whose climate is characterized by distinct dry and wet seasons. Using hourly and daily gauge observations, rainfall intensity changes since 1971 are exalnined for a network of 142 locations in the region. From the analysis, dry season changes are negligible but wet season changes exhibit a significantly strong downward trend [-2.4% （10 yr）^-1], particularly during the past 15 years [-17.7% （10 yr）^-1]. However, the intensity of events during the wettest of 5% hours appears to steadily increase during the whole period [1.4% （10 yr）^-1], tying in with government statistical reports of recent droughts and flooding. If the opposing trends are a consequence of a warming climate, it is reasonable to expect the contradictory trend to continue with an enhanced risk of flash flooding in coming decades in the region concerned.

Precipitation Change and Agricultural Drought and Flood Degrees during Crop Growth Season in Binzhou City

[Objective]The research aimed to analyze precipitation change and agricultural drought and flood degrees during crop growth season in Binzhou.[Method]Based on monthly rainfall and average temperature data at Binzhou meteorological observatory during March-November of1981-2010,by using linear regression,climatic tendency rate and dry-wet coefficient,precipitation change and agricultural drought and flood degrees during crop growth season of the past 30 years in Binzhou were analyzed from natural precipitation tendency change and satisfaction degree of agricultural water demand during crop growth season.[Result]In the past 30 years,precipitation during growth season in Binzhou presented increasing tendency.Spring,summer and autumn precipitation all increased somewhat,especially summer precipitation.Monthly average rainfall distribution was very uneven,and rainfall in July and August was more.In the past 30 years,average dry-wet coefficient K value during crop growth season in Binzhou was 0.60,it overall belonged to moderate drought climate type,and occurrence frequency of drought was 97%.It belonged to serious drought climate type in spring and autumn and light drought climate type in summer.Dry-wet coefficient presented rising tendency,illustrating that climate was developing toward wet direction.Seen from mean over the years,except humid in July,it was over light drought in other months.[Conclusion]Climate was overall arid during crop growth season in Binzhou,but precipitation somewhat increased in the past 30 years.Therefore,we suggested that artificial rainfall work should be enhanced.

Current Situation and Evolution of Drought and Flood in Fen-wei Plain

Based on the latest results and data of drought and flood in Fen-wei Plain, current situation and evolution of drought and flood in Fen-wei Plain were analyzed. The results show that in Fen-wei Plain drought and flood are natural disasters bringing about the most serious damage, and drought risk in east central Weihe Plain is serious. In Fen-wei Plain, precipitation tended to decrease, and temperature, drought days and intensity increased over the past 50 years. There were obvious differences between two decades in drought and flood. Drought was the severest in the 1990s, and flood was the most serious in Fenhe Plain in the 1960s and in Weihe Plain from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Over the past ten years, precipitation and flood frequency increased, and temperature, drought days and intensity decreased. In Fen-wei Plain, temperature will rise and precipitation will increase slightly in next 20 -40 years. Monitoring and early warning capability of drought and flood in Fen-wei Plain have im- proved gradually, but some issues need to be paid more attention to and solved.

Analysis on Characteristics of the Meteorological Drought in Central Yunnan

[ Ob.jeetive] The research aimed to analyze characteristics of the meteorological drought in central Yunnan. [ Method] Based on precipi- tation data at 43 meteorological stations of the central Yunnan, SPI at year scale in each station was calculated, and occurrence frequency of the drought at different grades was conducted statistics. Finally, spline curve interpolation method was used to acquire spatial distribution characteristics of the occurrence frequencies for various-level droughts in central Yunnan. [ Result] The drought has experienced the following four stages since 1960 in central Yunnan. Firstly, SPI had obvious decrease trend, and drought had the tendency to become severe in the 1970s. Secondly, in the 1960s and the 1980s, although variation of the SPI was large, we didn＇t find any distinct changing trend. Thirdly, SPI showed an evident increasing trend from the late 1980s to 2000. That was to say, central Yunnan experienced a wet period within those years. Lastly, the drought became severe from 2001 to 2009. Honghe, Yuanjiang, Binchuan, Luquan and Zhanyi tended to suffer from the medium drought; Kunming, Chenggong, Qujing, northeast Chuxiong, Dali, east Yangbi and central Yuxi tended to suffer from the severe drought; Zhanyi, Binchuan, west Dayao, Xiangyun, north Qujing, Anning and northwest Kunming tended to suffer from the extreme drought. [ Conclusion] The research provided theoreticai basis for drought prevention and control in the zone.

2022年7月内蒙古干旱半干旱区涝—旱转折事件的成因分析

2022年7月内蒙古中西部地区降水明显偏少,且呈前期偏多、后期偏少的涝—旱转折性分布特征,分析不同阶段环流分布差异和影响系统间的配置对进一步做好内蒙古汛期降水预测具有重要作用。利用内蒙古116站逐日降水量、国家气候中心130项气候指数、美国国家环境预报中心/国家大气科学研究中心(National Center for Enviromental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research,NCEP/NCAR)逐日再分析资料和美国国家海洋和大气管理局(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin⁃istration,NOAA)逐月海表温度资料,分析2022年7月内蒙古中西部地区涝-旱转折事件的成因。结果表明:(1)2022年7月内蒙古中西部地区降水量严重偏少,为该地区1991年以来同期降水最少、气象干旱最为严重。(2)7月1—11日降水相对偏多,冷空气路径偏北且强度较弱,西太平洋副热带高压强度偏弱,位置偏北、偏西,冷暖空气在内蒙古中西部地区交绥,加之这一时段高空西风急流位置偏北,内蒙古中西部位于急流轴以南,有利于高层辐散和上升运动发展。7月12—31日降水明显偏少,环流经向度加大,冷空气活动路径偏南且强度增强,西太平洋副热带高压强度偏强且位置明显偏南,不利于水汽输送,加之高空西风急流位置偏南,内蒙古中西部位于急流轴以北,不利于高层辐散和上升运动发展;7月中旬后期至下旬高空西风急流南北向扰动偏强有利于激发东亚—西北太平洋经向遥相关波列,使得西太平洋副热带高压位置偏南从而导致降水偏少。(3)日本海至北太平洋西北部地区的海温异常是影响内蒙古中西部地区降水多寡的重要外强迫信号之一。2022年7月该海区海温异常偏高,其上空激发的气旋式环流减弱了南方暖湿水汽的经向输送,是导致内蒙古中西部降水由涝转旱的原因之一。

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THE IMPACT OF LATENT HEAT FLUX ANOMALY IN THE TROPICAL WESTERN PACIFIC ON PRECIPITATION OVER SOUTH CHINA IN JUNES

Based on composite analysis and numerical simulations using a regional climate model(RegCM3), this paper analyzed the impact of the LHF anomaly in the tropical western Pacific on the precipitation over the south of China in June. The results are as follows.(1) Correlation analysis shows that the SC precipitation in June is negatively correlated with the LHF of the tropical western Pacific in May and June, especially in May. The SC precipitation in June appears to negatively correlate with low-level relative vorticity in the abnormal area of LHF in the tropical western Pacific.(2) The LHF anomaly in the tropical western Pacific is a vital factor affecting the flood and drought of SC in June. A conceptual model goes like this: When the LHF in the tropical western Pacific is abnormally increased(decreased), an anomalous cyclone(anticyclone) circulation is formed at the low-level troposphere to its northwest. As a result, an anomalous northeast(southwest) air flow affects the south of China, being disadvantageous(advantageous) to the transportation of water vapor to the region. Meanwhile, there is an anomalous anticyclone(cyclone) at the low-level troposphere and an anomalous cyclone(anticyclone) circulation at the high-level troposphere in the region, which is advantageous for downdraft(updraft) there. Therefore a virtual circulation forms updraft(downdraft) in the anomalous area of LHF and downdraft(updraft) in the south of China, which finally leads to the drought(flood) in the region.

华南汛期旱涝急转特征及其与海温异常的关系

【目的】探究华南汛期旱涝异常时空特征,旱涝急转前/后大气环流和水汽输送的变化,及其与赤道太平洋、南海海温异常的关系。【方法】基于华南地区129个站点的降水资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料和海温资料,采用合成分析、相关分析等统计学方法,拉格朗日后向气流轨迹模式(HYSPLIT_4.9),分析华南汛期旱涝急转特征及其成因。【结果与结论】涝转旱事件旱期相比于涝期,西太平洋副热带高压西伸加强,水汽辐散,来源于洋面的水汽贡献率减少,不利于降水的形成。旱转涝期涝期相较于旱期,副热带高压强度无太大变化,但副热带高压位置南落至华南地区南侧,水汽辐合,来自洋面的水汽通道向西偏移至印度洋,来自印度洋的水汽贡献增多,西南到偏南风向华南输送充足水汽,有利于降水产生。赤道中东太平洋海温正异常引起华南地区气旋式环流异常,有利于将暖湿气流输送至华南地区,使得华南地区降水异常偏多,而ENSO正位相减弱渐变为负位相的过程中,华南地区降水相应减少,会发生涝转旱事件。反之,赤道中东太平洋海温负异常易造成旱转涝事件的发生。

西北地区东部春夏季旱涝转换环流特征及其与大西洋海温的关系

随着全球变暖,旱涝异常的强度和频率不断增加,为增进对旱涝异常转换事件的认识,提高西北地区东部降水预测水平,利用1979—2020年我国西北地区东部逐月降水、海表温度(Sea Surface Temperature, SST)数据以及NCEP/NCAR环流再分析资料,通过建立旱涝转换指数,对西北地区东部春、夏季旱涝转换环流特征进行分析,并围绕大西洋SST异常对其可能产生的影响进行探讨。结果表明:西北地区东部旱转涝年,春季极涡偏弱,乌拉尔山阻塞高压偏强,东亚大槽偏深,西北地区东部受西北干冷气流控制,降水易偏少;夏季上游低值系统活跃,南亚高压偏强,西太平洋副热带高压偏强、偏西,西北地区东部受副热带高压和上游低槽系统共同影响,且有暖湿气流,降水易偏多,涝转旱年情况相反。上年冬季至当年夏季,大西洋类“三极子”型的SST异常是造成季节间降水明显差异的关键因子,旱转涝年春季大西洋类“三极子”负位相的SST状态激发出一支纬向型遥相关波列,经欧洲中西部、巴尔喀什湖地区东传至我国东北至日本海一带,此时中高纬环流形势有利于西北地区东部降水偏少;夏季SST异常激发的波列强度减弱、位置西移,中高纬关键环流系统的强度和位置较春季明显调整,转为有利于研究区降水偏多的环流形势,涝转旱年相反。

Interdecadal variation of East Asian summer monsoon and drought/flood distribution over eastern China in the last 159 years

Based on the drought/flood grades of 90 meterological stations over eastern China and summer average sea-level pressure （SLP） during 1850-2008 and BPCCA statistical methods, the coupling relationship between the drought/flood grades and the East Asian summer SLP is analyzed. The East Asian summer monsoon index which is closely related with interdecadal variation of drought/flood distribution over eastern China is defined by using the key areas of SLP. The impact of the interdecadal variation of the East Asian summer monsoon on the distribution of drought/flood over eastern China in the last 159 years is researched. The results show that there are four typical drought and flood spatial distribution patterns in eastern China, i.e. the distribution of drought/flood in southern China is contrary to the other regions, the distribution of drought/flood along the Huanghe River–Huaihe River Valley is contrary to the Yangtze River Valley and regions south of it, the distribution of drought/flood along the Yangtze River Valley and Huaihe River Valley is contrary to the other regions, the distribution of drought/flood in eastern China is contrary to the western. The main distribution pattern of SLP in summer is that the strength of SLP is opposite in Asian continent and West Pacific. It has close relationship between the interdecadal variation of drought/flood distribution patterns over eastern China and the interdecadal variation of the East Asian summer monsoon which was defined in this paper, but the correlation is not stable and it has a significant difference in changes of interdecadal phase. When the East Asian summer monsoon was stronger （weaker）, regions north of the Yangtze River Valley was more susceptible to drought （flood）, the Yangtze River Valley and regions south of it were more susceptible to flood （drought） before the 1920s; when the East Asian summer monsoon was stronger （weaker）, the regions north of the Yangtze River Valley was prone to flood （drought）, the Yangtze River Valley and regions south of it were prone to drought （flood） after the 1920s. It is indicated that by using the data of the longer period could get much richer results than by using the data of the last 50–60 years. The differences in the interdecadal phase between the East Asian summer monsoon and the drought/flood distributions in eastern China may be associated with the nonlinear feedback, which is the East Asian summer monsoon for the extrinsic forcing of solar activity.

DIAGNOSIS OF SUMMERTIME FLOODS/DROUGHTS AND THEIR ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION ANOMALIES OVER NORTH CHINA

Proposed are a set of new regional flood/drought indices and a scheme of grading their severity whereby 1951-2000 summer wet/dry events are investigated for North China (NC) in terms of 160 station monthly precipitation data from NCC (China National Center of Climate).Results suggest that 7 heavy droughts during 1951-2000 are 1965,1968,1972,1980,1983,1997 and 1999,while 6 heavy floods are 1954,1956,1959,1964,1973 and 1996. Based on 1951-2000 summer flood/drought severity graded by the new scheme,atmospheric circulation characteristics associated with the disasters over the NC are addressed in terms of monthly NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction) reanalysis of geopotential heights,winds,surface temperature and PW (precipitable water).Evidences suggest that prominent anomalies benefiting to the heavy droughts occur over the Northern Hemisphere.The variations over middle-high latitudes especially the negative ones on Ural Mountain to western Siberia deepen the normal trough there and are indicative of stronger than normal cold air activity. At middle latitudes,remarkable positive anomalies present on the south to Baikal lead to the fact that the normal ridge shifts eastward over NC concomitant with anomaly sinking motion in the whole troposphere,which is helpful for the maintenance of the continent high.And the opposed ones over Korea and Japan force the trough moving eastward running against northwestward shifting of the western Pacific subtropical high.In addition,the anomaly west-east pressure gradient at middle latitudes profits northerly flow there.The southerly monsoon flow at low levels is weaker than normal with weak East Asian summer monsoon,and the related water vapor transportation is also weak with deficit PW over NC.Besides,sea surface temperature (SST) rises in the equatorial eastern and central Pacific and associated convective region moves to the east accordingly companied with weak Walker circulation in the droughts.And the opposed situations will occur during the floods.