Zhou et al. (2026) Potential Causes of Anti‐Phase Summer Precipitation Variability Between the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: International Journal of Climatology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-04-04
• Authors: Yuwei Zhou, Ge Liu, Xiaolu Yan, Sulan Nan, T. Zhang, Yinghan Sang, Xuefeng Han, Yuhan Feng, Hancheng Zou
• DOI: 10.1002/joc.70373

Research Groups

Not specified in the abstract.

Short Summary

This study investigates the atmospheric circulation and land-ocean thermal anomaly mechanisms driving out-of-phase summer precipitation patterns in the Yangtze River basin. It identifies a non-canonical Silk Road Pattern (SLWT) maintained by specific land-ocean thermal anomalies as the key driver and proposes a new index to monitor this pattern.

Objective

• To investigate the mechanisms of the positive middle Yangtze River precipitation (MYRP)–negative lower Yangtze River precipitation (LYRP) pattern from the perspectives of atmospheric circulation and land-ocean thermal anomalies.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Northeast Asia, Greater Caucasus Mountains, northeastern Tibetan Plateau, Sea of Japan, western Pacific.
• Temporal Scale: Summer precipitation, focusing on interannual variability.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Linear baroclinic model (LBM) sensitivity experiments.
• Data sources: Atmospheric circulation and land-ocean thermal anomaly data (implied from analysis of 200-hPa vorticity anomalies, sea surface temperature anomalies, and land thermal anomalies). Specific datasets (e.g., reanalysis, satellite, observation) are not explicitly mentioned in the abstract.

Main Results

• A non-canonical Silk Road Pattern (SRP) teleconnection, termed the SRP-like Rossby wave train (SLWT), in the upper troposphere, coupled with a mid-to-lower tropospheric anomalous anticyclone over Northeast Asia and a weakened western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH), contributes to the positive MYRP–negative LYRP pattern.
• Colder-than-normal land thermal anomalies in the Greater Caucasus Mountains and the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, along with warmer-than-normal sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) in the Sea of Japan, help maintain the SLWT.
• Linear baroclinic model sensitivity experiments confirm that these identified thermal anomalies can excite and maintain the SLWT.
• A new SLWT index, based on 200-hPa vorticity anomalies, is proposed. This index effectively captures the spatial structure of the SLWT and its link with the out-of-phase precipitation anomalies, serving as a potential indicator for the occurrence probability of the positive MYRP–negative LYRP pattern.

Contributions

• Identifies a specific non-canonical teleconnection (SLWT) and its associated land-ocean thermal forcing mechanisms responsible for out-of-phase summer precipitation variations in the Yangtze River basin.
• Proposes a novel SLWT index based on 200-hPa vorticity anomalies, which can serve as a potential indicator for regional precipitation patterns.
• Enhances the understanding of regional precipitation mechanisms in the Yangtze River basin, providing a scientific basis for improved disaster prevention and mitigation strategies.

Funding

Not specified in the abstract.

Citation

@article{Zhou2026Potential,
  author = {Zhou, Yuwei and Liu, Ge and Yan, Xiaolu and Nan, Sulan and Zhang, T. and Sang, Yinghan and Han, Xuefeng and Feng, Yuhan and Zou, Hancheng},
  title = {Potential Causes of Anti‐Phase Summer Precipitation Variability Between the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River},
  journal = {International Journal of Climatology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1002/joc.70373},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.70373}
}