Climate condition of the significant precipitation decrease over the middle-eastern region of Inner Mongolia, China in recent 10 years (2001–2010)

Abstract

Compared to the 50-year mean climatological value (1961–2010), the precipitation of middle-eastern Inner Mongolia exhibited a significant decrease during the past 10 years (2001–2010). To identify the climatic causes, a comprehensive investigation was conducted by inspecting climatic factors from this 50-year period, which appear to work together in connecting closely to the precipitation. Significant positive correlations with precipitation were found in sea level pressure (SLP) difference between the area of (30° N–20° S; 50–160° E) and the northeastern Pacific Ocean, between the Northern Atlantic and the northeastern Pacific Oceans, and sea surface temperature difference between the northeastern and northwestern Pacific in the previous year, while negative connections were found in the 500-hPa temperature difference between the Antarctic and the belt region around 60° S. During the period of 2001–2010, East Asia was prevailingly controlled by a huge high, which was regarded as one of unfavorable factors for producing rain or snow. Other factors were the enlarged 500 hPa temperature differences between the Antarctic and the zones around 60° S and the Equator, the negative SLP difference between the East Asia, northern Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. Finally, the unique wind flows and associated moisture transports also played a key role in the precipitation reduction for the first decade of the twenty-first century.