Anomalous Circulation Patterns in Association with Two Types of Daily Precipitation Extremes over Southeastern China during Boreal Summer

Based on the daily rainfall data from China Meteorological Administration,the tropical cyclone（TC） best track data from Japan Meteorological Agency,and the NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data from NOAA,regional mean daily precipitation extreme（RDPE） events over southeastern China（specifically,the Fujian-Jiangxi region（FJR）） and the associated circulation anomalies are investigated.For the summers of 1979-2011,a total of 105 RDPE events are identified,among which 35 are TC-infiuenced（TCIn-RDPE） and 70 are TCfree events（TCFr-RDPE）.Distinct differences between these two types of RDPEs are found in both their statistical features and the related circulation patterns.TCFr-RDPEs usually occur in June,while TCInRDPEs mainly take place during July-August.When TCFr-RDPEs happen,a center of the anomalous cyclonic circulation is observed over the FJR,with an anomalous anticyclonic circulation to the south of this region.The warm/moist air flows from the South China Sea（SCS） and western Pacific meet with colder air from the north,forming a narrow convergent belt of water vapor over the FJR.Simultaneously,positive diabatic forcing anomalies are observed over the FJR,whereas negative anomalies appear over both its south and north sides,facilitating the formation and maintenance of the cyclonic circulation anomaly,as well as the upward motion of the atmosphere,over the FJR.When TCIn-RDPEs occur,southeastern China is dominated by a TC-related stronger anomalous cyclonic circulation.An anomalous anticyclonic circulation in the mid and high latitudes north of the FJR exists in the mid and upper troposphere,opposite to the situation during TCFr-RDPE events.Abundant warm/wet air is carried into the FJR from both the Indian Ocean and the SCS,leading to a large amount of latent heat release over the FJR and inducing strong ascending motion there.Furthermore,large differences are also found in the manifestation of Rossby wave energy propagation between these two types of RDPE events.The results of this study are helpful to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms behind these two types of RDPE events.

Variations in Regional Mean Daily Precipitation Extremes and Related Circulation Anomalies over Central China During Boreal Summer

The variations of regional mean daily precipitation extreme （RMDPE） events in central China and associated circulation anomalies during June, July, and August （JJA） of 1961-2010 are investigated by using daily in-situ precipitation observations and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. The precipitation data were collected at 239 state-level stations distributed throughout the provinces of Henan, Hubei, and Hunan. During 1961-2010, the 99th percentile threshold for RMDPE is 23.585 mm day-1. The number of RMDPE events varies on both interannual and interdecadal timescales, and increases significantly after the mid 1980s. The RMDPE events happen most frequently between late June and mid July, and are generally associated with anomalous baroclinic tropospheric circulations. The supply of moisture to the southern part of central China comes in a stepping way from the outer-region of an abnormal anticyclone over the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea. Fluxes of wave activity generated over the northeastern Tibetan Plateau converge over central China, which favors the genesis and maintenance of wave disturbances over the region. RMDPE events typically occur in tandem with a strong heating gradient formed by net heating in central China and the large-scale net cooling in the surrounding area. The occurrence of RMDPE events over central China is tied to anomalous local cyclonic circulations, topographic forcing over the northeast Tibetan Plateau, and anomalous gradients of diabatic heating between central China and the surrounding areas.