Interdecadal Variations of Precipitation and Temperature in China Around the Abrupt Change of Atmospheric Circulation in 1976

The interdecadal characteristics of rainfall and temperature in China before and after the abrupt change of the general circulation in 1976 are analyzed using the global 2.5°×2.5° monthly mean reanalysis data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction of US and the precipitation and temperature data at the 743 stations of China from the National Climate Center of China. The results show that after 1976, springtime precipitation and temperature were anomalously enhanced and reduced respectively in South China, while the reverse was true in the western Yangtze River basin. In summer, precipitation was anomalously less in South China, more in the Yangtze River basin, less again in North China and more again in Northeast China, showing a distribution pattern alternating with negative and positive anomalies ("-, +,-, +"). Meanwhile, temperature shows a distribution of warming in South China, cooling in the Yangtze and Huaihe River basins, and warming again in northern China. In autumn, precipitation tended to decrease and temperature tended to increase in most parts of the country. In winter, precipitation increased moderately in South China and warming was the trend across all parts of China. The interdecadal decline of mean temperature in spring and summer in China was mainly due to the daily maximum temperature variation,while the interdecadal increase was mainly the result of the minimum temperature change. The overall warming in autumn (winter) was mostly influenced by the minimum (maximum) temperature variation.These changes were closely related to the north-south shifts of the ascending and descending branches of the Hadley cell, the strengthening and northsouth progression of the westerly jet stream, and the atmospheric stratification and water vapor transport conditions.