Abstract
The Sichuan-Tibet Railway, mainly located in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is affected by summertime extreme precipitation (SEP). Using daily rain-gauge observations and ERA5 reanalysis data for the summers of 1979–2020, the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of SEP in the key region of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway (28°–33°N, 90°–105°E, hereafter KR) are revealed, and the mechanism for SEP amount (SEPA) variation in the KR is investigated. The results show that SEPA in the KR contributes nearly 30% to the total summer precipitation. Regional differences are evident in SEP, justifying thresholds higher in the plateau-dominated central-western KR (CWKR) and lower in the basin-dominated eastern KR (EKR). In addition, SEP in the CWKR is less intense but more frequent than SEP in the EKR. During 1979–2020, the SEPA in the KR increased slightly while the SEPA in the CWKR increased significantly and peaked in the last decade. When anticyclonic circulation (AC) anomalies dominate the 500 hPa pattern over the Bay of Bengal and Mongolia, the southerly flow and cyclonic shear over the southeastern plateau will be strengthened, favoring more SEPA in the CWKR. When an AC anomaly dominates the 500 hPa pattern over the Bohai Sea, the low-level easterly wind over the basin will be strengthened, favoring more SEPA in the EKR. The strengthening of the ascent, water vapor convergence, and convective instability is conducive to more SEPA in the KR. Our results deepen the understanding of the characteristics and the physical mechanisms responsible for extreme precipitation in the KR.
摘 要
川藏铁路主体位于青藏高原东南部, 其建设和运行受夏季极端降水影响. 基于 1979–2020 年夏季地面日降水资料及 ERA5 再分析资料, 研究川藏铁路关键区(28º–33ºN、 90º–105ºE, 下称关键区)夏季极端降水的时空分布特征, 探究夏季极端降水量的变化机制. 结果表明, 关键区夏季极端降水量约占夏季降水量的 30%. 夏季极端降水存在显著空间分布差异, 以高原(盆地)为主的关键区中西部(东部)的夏季极端降水阈值小(大), 中西部的极端降水较东部弱但更频发. 关键区 1979–2020 年夏季极端降水量略有增加, 其中中西部显著增加, 近 10 年达到最大. 当孟加拉湾和蒙古地区 500hPa 存在反气旋性环流异常时, 高原东南部 500hPa 偏南风和气旋性切变加强, 有利于关键区中西部极端降水量偏多; 当渤海地区 500hPa 存在反气旋性环流异常时, 盆地的低层偏东风加强, 有利于关键区东部极端降水量偏多. 垂直上升运动、 水汽辐合及大气对流不稳定的加强有利于关键区极端降水量偏多. 研究结果加深了对川藏铁路关键区极端降水特征及其物理机制的认知.
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Abbreviations
- KR Key:
-
region
- CWKR:
-
Central-western KR
- EKR:
-
Eastern KR
- EBP:
-
The eastern boundary of the plateau
- SEP:
-
Summertime extreme precipitation
- SEPA:
-
Summertime extreme precipitation amount
- SEPD:
-
Summertime extreme precipitation day
- SEPI:
-
Summertime extreme precipitation intensity
- AC:
-
Anticyclonic circulation
- WPSH:
-
West Pacific Subtropical High
- R n :
-
Percentage of nighttime precipitation in SEP
- R SEP :
-
Percentage of SEPA in summertime total precipitation amount
- N CE :
-
The number of consecutive SEP events
- θ se :
-
Pseudo-equivalent potential temperature
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Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the Key Program of the National Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 42030611), the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research (STEP) program (Grant No. 2019QZKK0105), and the Integration Project of the Major Research Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 91937301).
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Article Highlights
• SEP contributes nearly 30% of the summer precipitation in the KR, and its intensity and frequency differ greatly between the CWKR and EKR.
• During the last 42 years, SEPA in the KR increased slightly, but SEPA in the CWKR increased significantly and peaked in the last decade.
• The variation of SEPA in the CWKR and EKR are influenced by significantly different circulation anomalies.
This paper is a contribution to the special issue on the 14th International Conference on Mesoscale Convective Systems and High-Impact Weather.
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Ma, J., Yao, X. Summer Extreme Precipitation in the Key Region of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway. Adv. Atmos. Sci. 40, 843–855 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-022-2133-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-022-2133-z