Simulation and Projection of Changes in Rainy Season Precipitation over China Using the WRF Model

The Weather Research and Forecasting （WRF） model is used in a regional climate model configuration to simulate past precipitation climate of China during the rainy season （May-September） of 1981-2000, and to investigate potential future （2041-2060 and 2081-2100） changes in precipitation over China relative to the reference period 1981-2000. WRF is run with initial conditions from a coupled general circulation model, i.e., the high-resolution version of MIROC （Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate）. WRF reproduces the observed distribution of rainy season precipitation in 1981-2000 and its interannual variations better than MIROC. MIROC projects increases in rainy season precipitation over most parts of China and decreases of more than 25 mm over parts of Taiwan and central Tibet by the mid-21st century. WRF projects decreases in rainfall over southern Tibetan Plateau, Southwest China, and northwestern part of Northeast China, and increases in rainfall by more than 100 mm along the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and over the lower reaches of the Yangtze River during 2041-2060. MIROC projects further increases in rainfall over most of China by the end of the 21st century, although simulated rainfall decreases by more than 25 mm over parts of Taiwan, Guangxi, Guizhou, and central Tibet. WRF projects increased rainfall of more than 100 mm along the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and over the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and decreased rainfall over Southwest China, and southern Tibetan Plateau by the end of the 21st century.

THE INTERANNUAL AND DECADAL VARIABILITY OF PRECIPITATION FOR YUNNAN PROVINCE IN RAINY SEASON AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH TROPICAL UPPER LAYER TEAT CONTENT

Based on the monthly precipitation data of 126 observation stations from 1961 to 2000 in Yunnan Province, the interannual and decadal variability of precipitation in rainy seasons are studied by using wavelet analysis. It is shown that there is a 2-6 year oscillation at the interannual time scales and a quasi-30 year oscillation at the decadal time scales. These periodic oscillations relate to the distribution of tropical heat content. When the precipitation is much more (less) than normal, the upper seawater is colder (warmer) in almost all the tropical Indian Ocean, and warmer (colder) in the western Pacific as well as colder (warmer) in the eastern Pacific. The key areas of the anomaly heat content distribution that have significant correlation to the Yunnan precipitation in rainy season are in the southern hemispheric Indian Ocean with a dipole pattern in the winter as well as in the deep basin of the South China Sea (SCS) before the Yunnan rainy season begins. Therefore, the anomalous distributions of the heat content in the southern Indian Ocean and the SCS In winter are good indicators for predicting drought or flood in Yunnan Province in the following rainy season.

Analysis on the Precipitation Characteristics in the Rainy Season in Liupanshui City in Recent 50 Years

[Objective] The research aimed to study the variation rule of precipitation in the rainy season in Liupanshui City in recent 50 years. [Method] Based on the monthly precipitation data from three observatories (Liuzhi, Panxian and Shuicheng) of Liupanshui City from May to September during 1960-2009, the interannual, interdecadal variation and mutation characteristics of precipitation in the rainy season in Liupanshui City in recent 50 years were analyzed by using the linear tendency estimation, sliding T-test and Morlet wavelet analysis method. [Result] The rainfall in the rainy season in Liupanshui City in recent 50 years presented the decline trend, and the linear tendency rate was -15.4 mm/10 a. The precipitation in the rainy season in Liupanshui City had the obvious interannual and interdecadal variation characteristics. It was the obvious rainless period in the metaphase of 1960s, and the precipitation was comparatively more in late 1960s. It was the relatively rainless period in the whole 1970s. From late 1970s to late 1980s, the precipitation in the rainy season entered into the pluvial period, and it was the period when the precipitation was the most in recent 50 years. The precipitation was relatively less from late 1980s to metaphase of 1990s. It was the pluvial period in the middle and late periods of 1990s, and it was the rainless period when entered into the 21st century. The sliding T-test showed that the precipitation mutation point in the rainy season in Liupanshui City in recent 50 years was in 2002. The wavelet analysis showed that the precipitation in the rainy season in Liupanshui City had the significant multiple time scale characteristic. In the interdecadal scale, the precipitation had the significant 16-year periodic oscillation which stably existed in 50 years. In the interannual scale, the precipitation had the quasi-8-year periodic oscillation. [Conclusion] The research provided the scientific basis for the accurate forecast of drought and flood disasters, disaster prevention and reduction in the city.

Spatiotemporal variation of rainy season span and precipitation recorded by lacustrine laminated pollen in the Tibetan Plateau during the past two millennia

The quantitative reconstruction of the length of the rainy season and precipitation on the Tibetan Plateau(TP) is crucial for revealing the spatiotemporal evolution of the Westerlies and Asian summer monsoon, as well as its ecological and environmental effects. Accurately determining the start and end times of the rainy season on the Plateau remains challenging.This study determined the start and end times of the rainy season in different locations on the Plateau by identifying precipitation inflection points. We calculated the duration and precipitation amount of the rainy season and established a transfer function between the modern pollen assemblages and them. Then, we reconstructed the rainy season variations in Kusai Lake(northern TP) and Jiang Co(central TP) during the past two millennia. The results showed that, the rainy season precipitation in Kusai Lake recorded five periods of high precipitation: AD 580–680, 1000–1100, 1200–1450, 1550–1780, and 1920–present, corresponding to the stages with long rainy season. The rainy season precipitation sequence in Jiang Co recorded four periods of high precipitation: AD 80–500, 800–950, 1250–1450, and 1780–present, which is consistent with the long rainy season before AD 1000 but unclear afterward. Spatially, rainy season precipitation on the Plateau exhibited four patterns: “wet in both north and south” may be related to abnormally strong summer monsoons;“dry in both north and south” likely associated with weak Westerly wind and weak summer monsoon;“wet in the south and dry in the north” linked to strong summer monsoon and weak Westerly wind;and “dry in the south and wet in the north” connected to weak summer monsoon and strong Westerly wind. This study revealed the spatiotemporal evolution pattern of the rainy season onset and end, duration, and precipitation amount on the Plateau over the past two millennia. It provides natural background support for further understanding the coupling between Westerly wind and Asian summer monsoon.