Temporal and Spatial Distributions of the Spring Persistent Rains over Southeastern China

The spring persistent rains (SPR) over southeastern China (SEC) is a synoptic and climatic phenomenon that is unique in East Asia. Su cient evidence proves that it results from the mechanical and thermal effects of the giant Tibetan Plateau (TP), but its temporal span and spatial distribution are not clear at present.A climatological analysis of the NCEP/NCAR circulation and sensible heat data shows that at the 13th pentad of the solar year (1st pentad of March) there are remarkable increases in the sensible heating over the main and southeastern part of the TP, the southwesterly velocity over the southeastern flank of the TP and SEC, and rainfall over SEC, indicating the onset of the SPR.However, after the 27th pentad of the solar year (3rd pentad of May), these variables, except for the sensible heating over the main part of the TP, decrease rapidly. The ridge line of the subtropical high in the mid-low troposphere over the South China Sea (SCS) slopes northward instead of southward as before. The rain belt center over SEC shifts to the SCS and the SCS monsoon breaks out, indicating the end of the SPR. Hence, it is reasonable to define the SPR temporal span from the 13th to 27th pentad of the solar year. Data analysis and numerical sensitivity experiments show that, although the warm and cold airs converge at about 30°N in the SPR period, the distribution and intensity of the SPR rain belt are obviously in influenced by the topography of the Nanling and Wuyi Mountains (NWM). The mountains can block and lift cold and warm airs, strengthening frontogenesis and rainfall. As a result, the axis of the SPR rain belt is superposed over that of the mountain range. Accordingly, the spatial distribution of the SPR extends over most of the SEC, more speci cally, to the south of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (30°N), and to the east of 110°E.