Abstract
The dominant frequency modes of pre-summer extreme precipitation events (EPEs) over South China (SC) between 1998 and 2018 were investigated. The 67 identified EPEs were all characterized by the 3–8-d (synoptic) frequency band. However, multiscale combined modes of the synoptic and three low-frequency bands [10–20-d (quasi-biweekly, QBW); 15–40-d (quasi-monthly, QM); and 20–60-d (intraseasonal)] accounted for the majority (63%) of the EPEs, and the precipitation intensity on the peak wet day was larger than that of the single synoptic mode. It was found that EPEs form within strong southwesterly anomalous flows characterized by either lower-level cyclonic circulation over SC or a deep trough over eastern China. Bandpass-filtered disturbances revealed the direct precipitating systems and their life cycles. Synoptic-scale disturbances are dominated by mid-high latitude troughs, and the cyclonic anomalies originate from downstream of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Given the warm and moist climate state, synoptic-scale northeasterly flows can even induce EPEs. At the QBW and QM scales, the disturbances originate from the tropical Pacific, downstream of the TP, or mid-high latitudes (QBW only). Each is characterized by cyclonic-anticyclonic wave trains and intense southwesterly flows between them within a region of large horizontal pressure gradient. The intraseasonal disturbances are confined to tropical regions and influence SC by marginal southwesterly flows. It is concluded that low-frequency disturbances provide favorable background conditions for EPEs over SC and synoptic-scale disturbances ultimately induce EPEs on the peak wet days. Both should be simultaneously considered for EPE predictions over SC.
摘 要
本文研究了 1998–2018 年华南地区前汛期 (4–6 月) 极端降水事件的主导频次模态. 文中 67 次极端降水事件均存在显著的 3–8 天天气尺度扰动特征. 然而, 天气尺度和三个低频扰动 (10–20 天: 准双周尺度; 15–40 天: 准月尺度; 20–60天: 季节内尺度) 的多尺度共同作用所导致的极端降水事件占据了绝对高的比例 (63%), 且其降水峰值日的降水强度均大于单一天气尺度扰动所导致的降水强度. 极端降水事件往往形成于对流层低层气旋式环流或中国东部槽前异常强的西南气流中. 带通滤波后的扰动揭示了导致极端降水的影响系统及其生命史. 天气尺度扰动以中高纬度的槽为主, 气旋式扰动多起源于青藏高原下游. 在温暖潮湿的气候背景下, 天气尺度的东北气流扰动也可以引发极端降水事件. 在准双周和准月尺度上, 环流扰动起源于热带太平洋、 青藏高原下游或中高纬度 (仅准双周尺度扰动), 上述扰动均表现为气旋-反气旋式波列, 二者之间形成了很强的水平气压梯度, 因此导致强烈的西南气流异常进而影响华南地区. 季节内尺度的环流扰动局限于热带地区, 通过其边缘的西南气流扰动影响华南地区. 本研究结果表明, 低频扰动为华南地区的极端降水提供了非常有利的背景条件, 而天气尺度扰动最终引发了极端降水事件. 因此, 华南地区极端降水的预报需同时考虑天气尺度扰动和次季节振荡的共同作用.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability Statement. The precipitation datasets of Daily Surface Observations in China (V3.0) were provided by China Meteorological Data Service Centre (http://data.cma.cn/;ID:1.2.156.416.CMA.D3.A002.001.OB.WB.CHN.MUL.DAY.ZD.1), TMPA (TRMM_3B432_Daily) were provided through NASA GES DISC (https://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/datasets/TRMM_3B42_Daily_7/summary; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5067/TRMM/TMPA/DAY/7), CMORPH were provided by NOAA NCEI (https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cdr/atmospheric/precipitation-cmorph; DOI: https://doi.org/10.25921/w9va-q159). The circulation dataset of ERA-Interim were provided by ECMWF (https://www.ecmwf.int/en/forecasts/data-sets/reanalysis-datasets/era-interim).
References
Bao, M., 2007: The statistical analysis of the persistent heavy rain in the last 50 years over China and their backgrounds on the large scale circulation. Chinese Journal of Atmospheric Science, 31, 779–792, https://doi.org/10.3878/j.issn.1006-9895.2007.05.03. (in Chinese with English abstract)
Cao, X., X. J. Ren, X. Q. Yang, and J. B. Fang, 2012: The quasi-biweekly oscillation characteristics of persistent severe rain and its general circulation anomaly over southeast China from May to August. Acta Meteorologica Sinica, 70, 766–778, https://doi.org/10.11676/qxxb2012.062. (in Chinese with English abstract)
Chen, G. H., and C.-H. Sui, 2010: Characteristics and origin of quasi-biweekly oscillation over the western North Pacific during boreal summer. J. Geophys. Res., 115, D14113, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JD013389.
Chen, M. Y., W. Shi, P. P. Xie, V. B. S. Silva, V. E. Kousky, R. W. Higgins, and J. E. Janowiak, 2008: Assessing objective techniques for gauge-based analyses of global daily precipitation. J. Geophys. Res., 2008, 113, D04110, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JD009132.
Chen, X. C., F. Q. Zhang, and K. Zhao, 2016: Diurnal variations of the land-sea breeze and its related precipitation over South China. J. Atmos. Sci., 73, 4793–4815, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-16-0106.1.
Chen, Y., and P. M. Zhai, 2013: Persistent extreme precipitation events in China during 1951–2010. Climate Research, 57, 143–155, https://doi.org/10.3354/cr01171.
Dee, D. P., and Coauthors, 2011: The ERA-Interim reanalysis: Configuration and performance of the data assimilation system. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 137, 553–597, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.828.
Ding, Y. H., 2005: Advanced Synoptic Meteorology. 2nd ed., China Meteorological Press, 583 pp. (in Chinese)
Ding, Y. H., 2019: The major advances and development process of the theory of heavy rainfalls in China. Torrential Rain and Disasters, 38, 395–406, https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1004-9045.2019.05.001. (in Chinese with English abstract)
Du, Y., and G. X. Chen, 2019a: Climatology of low-level jets and their impact on rainfall over southern China during the early-summer rainy season. J. Climate, 32, 8813–8833, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-19-0306.1.
Du, Y., and G. X. Chen, 2019b: Heavy rainfall associated with double low-level jets over Southern China. Part II: Convection initiation. Mon. Wea. Rev., 147, 543–565, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-18-0102.1.
Du, Y., G. X. Chen, B. Han, C. Y. Mai, L. Q. Bai, and M. H. Li, 2020a: Convection initiation and growth at the coast of South China. Part I: Effect of the marine boundary layer jet. Mon. Wea. Rev., 148, 3847–3869, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-20-0089.1.
Du, Y., G. X. Chen, B. Han, L. Q. Bai, and M. H. Li, 2020b: Convection initiation and growth at the coast of South China. Part II: Effects of the terrain, coastline, and cold pools. Mon. Wea. Rev, 148, 3871–3892, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWRD-20-0090.1.
Gao, M. N., J. Yang, B. Wang, S. Y. Zhou, D. Y. Gong, and S.-J. Kim, 2018: How are heat waves over Yangtze River valley associated with atmospheric quasi-biweekly oscillation. Climate Dyn., 51, 4421–4437, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-017-3526-z.
Gao, Z. B., J. S. Zhu, Y. Guo, N. Luo, Y. Fu, and T. T. Wang, 2021: Impact of land surface processes on a record-breaking rainfall event on May 06–07, 2017, in Guangzhou, China. J. Geophys. Res., 126, e2020JD032997, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD032997.
Gu, D. J., Z. P. Ji, X. R. Gao, G. F. Sun, and J. G. Xie, 2013: The relationship between the rainfall during the annually first rainy season in Guangdong and the quasi-biweekly oscillation of wind field in the north of South China Sea. Journal of Tropical Meteorology, 29, 189–197, https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1004-4965.2013.02.002. (in Chinese with English abstract)
He, L. F., T. Chen, and Q. Kong, 2016: A review of studies on prefrontal torrential rain in South China. Journal of Applied Meteorological Science, 27, 559–569, https://doi.org/10.11898/1001-7313.20160505. (in Chinese with English abstract)
Hong, W., and X. J. Ren, 2013: Persistent heavy rainfall over South China during May-August: Subseasonal anomalies of circulation and sea surface temperature. Acta Meteorologica Sinica, 27, 769–787, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-013-0607-8.
Huang, L., Y. L. Luo, and D.-L. Zhang, 2018: The relationship between anomalous presummer extreme rainfall over South China and synoptic disturbances. J. Geophys. Res., 123, 3395–3413, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD028106.
Huang, Y. J., Y. B. Liu, Y. W. Liu, H. Y. Li, and J. C. Knievel, 2019: Mechanisms for a record-breaking rainfall in the coastal metropolitan city of Guangzhou, China: Observation analysis and nested very large eddy simulation with the WRF model. J. Geophys. Res., 124, 1370–1391, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JD029668.
Huffman, G. J., and D. T. Bolvin, 2018: TRMM and other data precipitation data set documentation. [Available online from https://docserver.gesdisc.eosdis.nasa.gov/public/project/GPM/3B42_3B43_doc_V7.pdf]
Huffman, G J., R. F. Adler, D. T. Bolvin, and E. J. Nelkin. 2010: The TRMM multi-satellite precipitation analysis (TMPA). Satellite Rainfall Applications for Surface Hydrology, M. Gebremichael and F. Hossain, Eds., Springer, 3–22, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2915-7_1.
Huffman, G. J., D. T. Bolvin, E. J. Nelkin, and R. F. Adler, 2016: TRMM (TMPA) Precipitation L3 1 day 0.25 degree x 0.25 degree V7. A. Savtchenko, Ed., Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC). [Available online from https://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/datasets/TRMM_3B42_Daily_7/summary]
Jiang, Z. N, D.-L. Zhang, and H. B. Liu, 2020: Roles of synoptic to quasi-monthly disturbances in generating two pre-summer heavy rainfall episodes over South China. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 37, 211–228, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-019-8156-4.
Jiang, Z. N., D.-L. Zhang, R. D. Xia, and T. T. Qian, 2017: Diurnal variations of presummer rainfall over southern China. J. Climate, 30, 755–773, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0666.1.
Joyce, R. J., J. E. Janowiak, P. A. Arkin, and P. P. Xie, 2004: CMORPH: A method that produces global precipitation estimates from passive microwave and infrared data at high spatial and temporal resolution. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 5, 487–503, https://doi.org/10.1175/1525-7541(2004)005<0487:CAMTPG>2.0.CO;2.
Li, C. H., T. M. Li, A. L. Lin, D. J. Gu, and B. Zheng, 2015: Relationship between summer rainfall anomalies and sub-seasonal oscillations in South China. Climate Dyn., 44, 423–439, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-014-2172-y.
Li, R. C. Y., and W. Zhou, 2015: Multiscale control of summertime persistent heavy precipitation events over South China in association with synoptic, intraseasonal, and low-frequency background. Climate Dyn., 45, 1043–1057, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-014-2347-6.
Liu, H. B., J. Yang, D.-L. Zhang, and B. Wang, 2014: Roles of synoptic to quasi-biweekly disturbances in generating the Summer 2003 heavy rainfall in East China. Mon. Wea. Rev., 142, 886–904, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-13-00055.1.
Liu, R. X., J. H. Sun, J. Wei, and S. M. Fu, 2016: Classification of persistent heavy rainfall events over South China and associated moisture source analysis. J. Meteor. Res., 30, 678–693, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-016-6042-x.
Luo, Y. L., R. D. Xia, and J. C. L. Chan, 2020: Characteristics, physical mechanisms, and prediction of pre-summer rainfall over South China: Research progress during 2008–2019. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 98, 19–42, https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj.2020-002.
Luo, Y. L., and Coauthors, 2017: The Southern China monsoon rainfall experiment (SCMREX). Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 98, 999–1013, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-15-00235.1.
Mao, J. Y., and G. X. Wu, 2006: Intraseasonal variations of the Yangtze rainfall and its related atmospheric circulation features during the 1991 summer. Climate Dyn., 27, 815–830, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-006-0164-2.
Mao, J. Y., and J. C. L. Chan, 2005: Intraseasonal variability of the South China Sea summer monsoon. J. Climate, 18, 2388–2402, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI3395.1.
Miao, R., M. Wen, R. H. Zhang, and L. Li, 2019: The influence of wave trains in mid-high latitudes on persistent heavy rain during the first rainy season over South China. Climate Dyn., 53, 2949–2968, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-019-04670-y.
Pan, W. J., J. Y. Mao, and G. X. Wu, 2013: Characteristics and Mechanism of the 10–20-Day oscillation of spring rainfall over southern China. J. Climate, 26, 5072–5087, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00618.1.
Philipp, A., and Coauthors, 2010: Cost733cat-A database of weather and circulation type classifications. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C, 35, 360–373, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2009.12.010.
Tabari, H., 2020: Climate change impact on flood and extreme precipitation increases with water availability. Scientific Reports, 10, 13768, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-70816-2.
Tang, T. Y., C.-S. Wu, A.-Y. Wang, E.-B. Hou, and H.-B. Luo, 2007: An observational study of interaseasonal variations over Guangdong Province China during the rainy season of 1999. Journal of Tropical Meteorology, 23, 683–689, https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1004-4965.2007.06.025. (in Chinese with English abstract)
Wang, B., 1992: The vertical structure and development of the ENSO anomaly mode during 1979–1989. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 49, 698–712, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1992)049<0698:TVSADO>2.0.CO;2.
Wang, H. J., J. H. Sun, S. X. Zhao, and J. Wei, 2016: The multiscale factors favorable for a persistent heavy rain event over Hainan Island in October 2010. Journal of Meteorological Research, 37, 496–512, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-016-6005-2.
Wang, X., and G. J. Zhang, 2019: Evaluation of the quasi-biweekly oscillation over the South China Sea in early and late summer in CAM5. J. Climate, 32, 69–84, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0072.1.
Wu, M. W., Y. L. Luo, F. Chen, and W. K. Wong, 2019: Observed link of extreme hourly precipitation changes to urbanization over coastal South China. J. Appl. Meteor. Climatol., 58, 1799–1819, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-18-0284.1.
Xie, P. P., R. Joyce, S. R. Wu, S. H. Yoo, Y. Yarosh, F. Y. Sun, and R. Lin, 2017: Reprocessed, bias-corrected CMORPH global high-resolution precipitation estimates from 1998. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 18, 1617–1641, https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-16-0168.1.
Yang, J., B. Wang, B. Wang, and Q. Bao, 2010: Biweekly and 21–30-day variations of the subtropical summer monsoon rainfall over the lower reach of the Yangtze River Basin. J. Climate, 23, 1146–1159, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009jcli3005.1.
Yin, J. F., D. L. Zhang, Y. L. Luo, and R. Y. Ma, 2020: On the extreme rainfall event of 7 May 2017 over the coastal city of Guangzhou. Part I: Impacts of urbanization and orography. Mon. Wea. Rev., 148, 955–979, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-19-0212.1.
Zhang, C., X. G. Huang, J. F. Fei, X. Luo, and Y. Zhou, 2021: Spatiotemporal characteristics and associated synoptic patterns of extremely persistent heavy rainfall in Southern China. J. Geophys. Res., 126, e2020JD033253, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD033253.
Zhang, Y. C., J. H. Sun, and S. M. Fu, 2017: Main energy paths and energy cascade processes of the two types of persistent heavy rainfall events over the Yangtze River-Huaihe River Basin. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 34, 129–143, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-016-6117-8.
Zhou, W., and J. C. L. Chan, 2005: Intraseasonal oscillations and the South China Sea summer monsoon onset. International Journal of Climatology, 25, 1585–1609, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1209.
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2018YFC1507403).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Article Highlights
• Pre-summer EPEs over SC are all characterized by falling within the 3–8-d synoptic-scale frequency band.
• Multiscale combined actions between synoptic and low-frequency disturbances dominate EPEs and enhance the precipitation intensity.
• The mid-high latitudes, downstream of the TP, and tropical western Pacific are three major areas of origin for different scale disturbances.
This paper is a contribution to the special issue on the 14th International Conference on Mesoscale Convective Systems and High-Impact Weather.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, H., Yan, R., Wang, B. et al. Multiscale Combined Action and Disturbance Characteristics of Pre-summer Extreme Precipitation Events over South China. Adv. Atmos. Sci. 40, 824–842 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-021-1172-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-021-1172-1
Key words
- extreme precipitation event
- dominant frequency band
- multiscale combined action
- disturbance characteristics
- South China