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Arid Land Geography ›› 2025, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (3): 367-379.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2024.207

• Climatology and Hydrology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Variation characteristics of summer precipitation in the arid region of northwest China from 1961 to 2022

ZHENG Menglin1(), ZHAO Yong1(), YANG Xia2   

  1. 1. Plateau Atmosphere & Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province/School of Atmospheric Sciences, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, Sichuan, China
    2. Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Meteorological Observatory, Urumqi 830002, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2024-04-02 Revised:2024-05-15 Online:2025-03-25 Published:2025-03-14
  • Contact: ZHAO Yong E-mail:menglinsd@163.com;zhaoy608@cuit.edu.cn

Abstract:

Using summer daily precipitation data from 102 meteorological stations from June to August during 1961—2022, the spatial and temporal characteristics of extreme and non-extreme precipitation were analyzed, and variations in these two precipitation types across different areas of the arid region of northwest China were compared. The results reveal the following: (1) Summer precipitation in the arid region of northwest China exhibited an increasing trend, particularly in the Ili River Valley and the western Tarim Basin, contributing an average of more than 40% to total annual precipitation. (2) Extreme precipitation in summer accounted for approximately 45% of total precipitation in the arid region, with an overall increasing trend, notably in the western Tarim Basin, Hexi-Alagxa, and northern Xinjiang. (3) Most meteorological stations in the region recorded increasing trends in extreme precipitation, extreme precipitation days, and extreme precipitation intensity. However, the number of non-extreme precipitation days showed significant decreases at most stations, while non-extreme precipitation intensity increased significantly. In the western Tarim Basin, the increase in summer precipitation was driven by both extreme and non-extreme precipitation, contributing 61% and 39% of the total increase, respectively. In other regions, the rise in summer precipitation was predominantly due to the increase in extreme precipitation. These findings enhance understanding of summer precipitation climate change in the arid region of northwest China.

Key words: extreme precipitation, non-extreme precipitation, spatial and temporal characteristics, regional difference, arid region of northwest China