Interdecadal Variability of Summer Precipitation Efficiency in East Asia

Precipitation efficiency (PE) is a crucial physical quantity in convective processes, describing the efficiency of rainfall generation from cloud detrainment. Although the importance of PE in extreme precipitation events is widely accepted, the evolution of PE in the warming climate and the associat...

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Main Authors: Jian Wang, Shu Gui, Anqi Ma, Ruowen Yang, Qi Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Advances in Meteorology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/3563024
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author Jian Wang
Shu Gui
Anqi Ma
Ruowen Yang
Qi Zhang
author_facet Jian Wang
Shu Gui
Anqi Ma
Ruowen Yang
Qi Zhang
author_sort Jian Wang
collection DOAJ
description Precipitation efficiency (PE) is a crucial physical quantity in convective processes, describing the efficiency of rainfall generation from cloud detrainment. Although the importance of PE in extreme precipitation events is widely accepted, the evolution of PE in the warming climate and the associated moisture processes in East Asia are still not well understood. To address these issues, the interdecadal variability of PE in East Asia during summer in 1979–2016 is investigated in this study. Two major modes of summertime precipitation efficiency are identified using Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis. The leading EOF mode (EOF1) has a dipole pattern that reveals the variations of mean precipitation efficiency. The second EOF mode (EOF2) presents a quadrupole pattern that shows changes in the variability of precipitation efficiency. Both EOF modes exhibit significant interdecadal variability (IDV). The IDV of EOF1 is closely associated with the phase change of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO). The Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies associated with the PDO can excite wind anomalies that significantly modulate moisture transport and further alter the mean precipitation efficiency in East Asia. The IDV of EOF2 can be attributed to the interdecadal change of occurrence frequency of Eastern Pacific El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, which affect water vapor transport by inducing an East Asia-Pacific teleconnection-like wave train anomaly pattern. The IDV patterns of precipitation efficiency for both the mean value and variability will improve the ability to predict precipitation in East Asia.
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spelling doaj-art-5d4c67f0afad416c95beaeee7c186f2f2025-08-20T02:05:01ZengWileyAdvances in Meteorology1687-93091687-93172019-01-01201910.1155/2019/35630243563024Interdecadal Variability of Summer Precipitation Efficiency in East AsiaJian Wang0Shu Gui1Anqi Ma2Ruowen Yang3Qi Zhang4Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, ChinaDepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, ChinaDepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, ChinaDepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, ChinaDepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, ChinaPrecipitation efficiency (PE) is a crucial physical quantity in convective processes, describing the efficiency of rainfall generation from cloud detrainment. Although the importance of PE in extreme precipitation events is widely accepted, the evolution of PE in the warming climate and the associated moisture processes in East Asia are still not well understood. To address these issues, the interdecadal variability of PE in East Asia during summer in 1979–2016 is investigated in this study. Two major modes of summertime precipitation efficiency are identified using Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis. The leading EOF mode (EOF1) has a dipole pattern that reveals the variations of mean precipitation efficiency. The second EOF mode (EOF2) presents a quadrupole pattern that shows changes in the variability of precipitation efficiency. Both EOF modes exhibit significant interdecadal variability (IDV). The IDV of EOF1 is closely associated with the phase change of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO). The Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies associated with the PDO can excite wind anomalies that significantly modulate moisture transport and further alter the mean precipitation efficiency in East Asia. The IDV of EOF2 can be attributed to the interdecadal change of occurrence frequency of Eastern Pacific El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, which affect water vapor transport by inducing an East Asia-Pacific teleconnection-like wave train anomaly pattern. The IDV patterns of precipitation efficiency for both the mean value and variability will improve the ability to predict precipitation in East Asia.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/3563024
spellingShingle Jian Wang
Shu Gui
Anqi Ma
Ruowen Yang
Qi Zhang
Interdecadal Variability of Summer Precipitation Efficiency in East Asia
Advances in Meteorology
title Interdecadal Variability of Summer Precipitation Efficiency in East Asia
title_full Interdecadal Variability of Summer Precipitation Efficiency in East Asia
title_fullStr Interdecadal Variability of Summer Precipitation Efficiency in East Asia
title_full_unstemmed Interdecadal Variability of Summer Precipitation Efficiency in East Asia
title_short Interdecadal Variability of Summer Precipitation Efficiency in East Asia
title_sort interdecadal variability of summer precipitation efficiency in east asia
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/3563024
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AT shugui interdecadalvariabilityofsummerprecipitationefficiencyineastasia
AT anqima interdecadalvariabilityofsummerprecipitationefficiencyineastasia
AT ruowenyang interdecadalvariabilityofsummerprecipitationefficiencyineastasia
AT qizhang interdecadalvariabilityofsummerprecipitationefficiencyineastasia