Abstract
This study compares two rainstorms that swept through Henan Province of China in July 2021 and August 1975. The heavy rainfall and related synoptic systems and processes are diagnosed based on hourly ERA5 reanalysis data and precipitation observations from the China Meteorological Administration. It is estimated that most of the daily rainfall in Henan was caused by synoptic-scale precipitation, with the sub-synoptic convective rainfall intermittently dominating some of the hourly total rainfall. The rainband moved at about 2 m s−1 during the July 2021 rainstorm, whereas it was almost stationary during the August 1975 rainstorm when the heavy rainfall was concentrated in southern Henan. A double-typhoon circulation pattern with a subtropical high over the Bohai and Yellow Seas was observed during both rainstorms. The heavy rainfall during the July 2021 event was controlled remotely by Typhoons Cempaka and In-Fa, which provided a path for the transport of moisture via the southerly jet associated with Typhoon Cempaka and the easterly (or southeasterly) jet associated with Typhoon In-Fa. The rainstorm in August 1975 was caused more directly by Typhoon Nina, which made landfall in Fujian Province and moved toward Henan Province. The rainfall around the inverted trough of the motionless Typhoon Nina produced a cumulative effect. The two rainstorms also differed in their circulation patterns in the upper troposphere. The intrusion of high potential vorticity air over Central China occurred in the July 2021 extreme rainstorm, whereas the South Asian high was enhanced and biased further north during the August 1975 rainstorm. Further analysis showed that the northward and westward transport of moisture took place during the July 2021 rainstorm, whereas the westward transport of moisture from the east of Henan dominated near the inverted trough of Typhoon Nina during the August 1975 rainstorm.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bueh, C., A. R. Zhuge, Z. W. Xie, et al., 2022: Water vapor transportation features and key synoptic-scale systems of the “7.20” rainstorm in Henan Province in 2021. Chinese J. Atmos. Sci., 46, 725–744, doi: https://doi.org/10.3878/j.issn.1006-9895.2202.21226. (in Chinese)
Chen, J., Y. G. Zheng, X. L. Zhang, et al., 2013: Analysis of the climatological distribution and diurnal variations of the short-duration heavy rain and its relation with diurnal variations of the MCSs over China during the warm season. Acta Meteor. Sinica, 71, 367–382, doi: https://doi.org/10.11676/qxxb2013.035. (in Chinese)
Chen, Y. R. X., and Y. L. Luo, 2018: Analysis of paths and sources of moisture for the South China rainfall during the presummer rainy season of 1979–2014. J. Meteor. Res., 32, 744–757, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-018-8069-7.
Christensen, J. H., and O. B. Christensen, 2003: Climate modelling: Severe summertime flooding in Europe. Nature, 421, 805–806, doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/421805a.
Ding, Y. H., 1993: A Study of Sustained Heavy Rainfall in the Yangtze—Huai River Valleys in 1991. China Meteorological Press, Beijing, 253 pp. (in Chinese)
Ding, Y. H., 1994: Monsoons over China. Springer, Dordrecht, 419 pp.
Ding, Y. H., 2015: On the study of the unprecedented heavy rainfall in Henan Province during 4–8 August 1975: Review and assessment. Acta Meteor. Sinica, 73, 411–424, doi: https://doi.org/10.11676/qxxb2015.067. (in Chinese)
Du, Y., and G. X. Chen, 2018: Heavy rainfall associated with double low-level jets over southern China. Part I: Ensemble-based analysis. Mon. Wea. Rev., 146, 3827–3844, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-18-0101.1.
Easterling, D. R., J. L. Evans, P. Y. Groisman, et al., 2000: Observed variability and trends in extreme climate events: A brief review. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 81, 417–126, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0477(2000)081<0417:OVATIE>2.3.CO;2.
Feng, S., S. Nadarajah, and Q. Hu, 2007: Modeling annual extreme precipitation in China using the generalized extreme value distribution. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 85, 599–613, doi: https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj.85.599.
Fu, S. M., F. Yu, D. H. Wang, et al., 2013: A comparison of two kinds of eastward-moving mesoscale vortices during the Meiyu period of 2010. Sci. China Earth Sci., 56, 282–300, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-012-4420-5.
Fu, S. M., W. L. Li, and J. Ling, 2015: On the evolution of a long-lived mesoscale vortex over the Yangtze River Basin: Geometric features and interactions among systems of different scales. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 120, 11,889–11,917, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JD023700.
Fu, S. M., J. P. Zhang, J. H. Sun, et al., 2016: Composite analysis of long-lived mesoscale vortices over the middle reaches of the Yangtze River valley: Octant features and evolution mechanisms. J. Climate, 29, 761–781, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0175.1.
Gao, T., H. J. Wang, and T. J. Zhou, 2017: Changes of extreme precipitation and nonlinear influence of climate variables over monsoon region in China. Atmos. Res., 197, 379–389, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2017.07.017.
Gu, W., L. Wang, Z. Z. Hu, et al., 2018: Interannual variations of the first rainy season precipitation over South China. J. Climate, 31, 623–640, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-17-0284.1.
Hersbach, H., B. Bell, P. Berrisford, et al., 2020: The ERA5 global reanalysis. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 146, 1999–2049, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3803.
Hu, M. S., and C. Z. Luo, 1992: Historical Floods of China. China Bookstore Publishing House, Beijing, 727 pp. (in Chinese)
Huang, R. H., 1999: The study in characteristic, attribution, and prediction of climatic disasters in China. Bull. Chinese Acad. Sci., 14, 188–192.
Huang, Z., D. Zhang, and L. X. Lin, 2005: Synoptic analysis of heavy rain related to monsoon trough in the latter flood season of Guangdong. Meteor. Mon., 31, 19–24, doi: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1000-0526.2005.09.004. (in Chinese)
Jiang, J. Y., J. X. Jiang, Y. L. Bu, et al., 2007: Heavy rainfall associated with monsoon depression in South China: Structure analysis. Acta Meteor. Sinica, 65, 537–549, doi: https://doi.org/10.3321/j.issn:0577-6619.2007.04.007. (in Chinese)
Luo, Y. L., M. W. Wu, F. M. Ren, et al., 2016: Synoptic situations of extreme hourly precipitation over China. J. Climate, 29, 8703–8719, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0057.1.
Luo, Y. L., R. H. Zhang, Q. L. Wan, et al., 2017: The Southern China monsoon rainfall experiment (SCMREX). Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 98, 999–1013, doi: https://doi.org/10.1155/BAMS-D-55-00235.1.
Meng, W. G., and Y. Q. Wang, 2016: A diagnostic study on heavy rainfall induced by Typhoon Utor (2013) in South China: 1. Rainfall asymmetry at landfall. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 121, 12,781–12,802, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JD024646.
Meng, W. G., Y. X. Zhang, J. N. Yuan, et al., 2014: Monsoon trough and MCSs interactions during the persistent torrential rainfall event of 15–18 July 2011 along the South China coast. Acta Meteor. Sinica, 72, 508–525, doi: https://doi.org/10.11676/qxxb2014.034. (in Chinese)
Qian, W. H., J. Li, and X. L. Shan, 2013: Application of synoptic-scale anomalous winds predicted by medium-range weather forecast models on the regional heavy rainfall in China in 2010. Sci. China Earth Sci., 56, 1059–1070, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-013-4586-5.
Ran, L. K., S. W. Li, Y. S. Zhou, et al., 2021: Observational analysis of the dynamic, thermal, and water vapor characteristics of the “7.20” extreme rainstorm event in Henan Province, 2021. Chinese J. Atmos. Sci., 45, 1366–1383, doi: https://doi.org/10.3878/j.issn.1006-9895.2109.21160. (in Chinese)
Saha, S. K., A. Rinke, and K. Dethloff, 2006: Future winter extreme temperature and precipitation events in the Arctic. Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L15818, doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL026451.
Saltzman, B., and F. E. Irsch, 1972: Note on the theory of topographically forced planetary waves in the atmosphere. Mon. Wea. Rev., 100, 441–444, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1972)100<0441:NOTTOT>2.3.CO;2.
Sampe, T., and S.-P. Xie, 2010: Large-scale dynamics of the meiyu-baiu rainband: Environmental forcing by the westerly jet. J. Climate, 23, 113–134, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JCLI3128.1.
Sun, J. H., S. X. Zhao, G. K. Xu, et al., 2010: Study on a mesoscale convective vortex causing heavy rainfall during the Mei-yu season in 2003. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 27, 1193–1209, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-009-9156-6.
Taminiau, C., and R. J. Haarsma, 2007: Projected changes in precipitation and the occurrence of severe rainfall deficits in central Australia caused by global warming. Aust. Meteor. Mag., 56, 167–175.
Wang, J. F., and X. B. Zhang, 2008: Downscaling and projection of winter extreme daily precipitation over North America. J. Climate, 21, 923–937, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/2007JCLI1671.1.
Wang, X. M., and Y. Liu, 2017: Causes of extreme rainfall in May 2013 over Henan Province: The role of the southwest vortex and low-level jet. Theor. Appl. Climatol., 129, 701–709, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-017-2054-4.
Xia, R. D., and D.-L. Zhang, 2019: An observational analysis of three extreme rainfall episodes of 19–20 July 2016 along the Taihang Mountains in North China. Mon. Wea. Rev., 147, 4199–1220, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-18-0402.1.
Yang, L., M. F. Liu, J. A. Smith, et al., 2017: Typhoon Nina and the August 1975 flood over Central China. J. Hydrometeor., 18, 451–472, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/jhm-d-16-0152.1.
Yin, J. F., H. D. Gu, X. D. Liang, et al., 2022: A possible dynamic mechanism for rapid production of the extreme hourly rainfall in Zhengzhou city on 20 July 2021. J. Meteor. Res., 36, 6–25, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-022-1166-7.
Yuan, C. X., J. Q. Liu, J.-J. Luo, et al., 2019: Influences of tropical Indian and Pacific oceans on the interannual variations of precipitation in the early and late rainy seasons in South China. J. Climate, 32, 3681–3694, doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0588.1.
Zhang, H., and P. M. Zhai, 2011: Temporal and spatial characteristics of extreme hourly precipitation over eastern China in the warm season. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 28, 1177–1183, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-011-0020-0.
Zhang, Y., Y. L. Xu, W. J. Dong, et al., 2006: A future climate scenario of regional changes in extreme climate events over China using the PRECIS climate model. Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L24702, doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL027229.
Zou, X. K., and F. M. Ren, 2015: Changes in regional heavy rainfall events in China during 1961–2012. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 32, 704–714, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-014-4127-y.
Acknowledgments
We thank the ECMWF (https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu) for providing the ERA5 reanalysis dataset. The China Meteorological Administration station observations are available after authorized registration (http://data.cma.cn/data).
Funding
Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFC3000903) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (42030605).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rao, J., Xie, J., Cao, Y. et al. Record Flood-Producing Rainstorms of July 2021 and August 1975 in Henan of China: Comparative Synoptic Analysis Using ERA5. J Meteorol Res 36, 809–823 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-022-2066-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-022-2066-6