18.3 Precipitation
415
The following list details regional variations in precipitation.
• In NCP from 1901–2006, precipitation data showed that at a 100-year scale,
precipitation in most parts of the plain increased, while only a small part of
Shandong Province showed decreased precipitation. In the past 50 years, most
regions in the plain decreased at a rate of −5 mm/a, though parts of the northeast
and western plain increased by a few mm. In the past 20 years, precipitation in the
western and central parts of the plain increased but decreased significantly in the
northeast, going down −5 mm/a and −10 mm/a in some regions (Rong and Luo
2009). Precipitation had been decreasing over the last 50 years in the Hai River
Basin, but it began to increase after 2006 (Zai et al. 2009). In Hebei Province,
annual precipitation decreased at a rate of 62 mm/10 a from 1956–2000 (Shao
et al. 2008). In Qinhuangdao City, precipitation decreased by 18.3% from 1955
to 2005 (Zhang 2007).
• According to data from six meteorological stations, precipitation underwent a
slight increase in the Taihu Lake Basin from 1954 to 2006 (Huang and Xu 2009).
In the Lanjiang River, Zhejiang Province, there was an increase in precipitation
from 1961 to 2003, particularly during the 1990s (Kang et al. 2007).
• In Meizhou, Guangdong Province, there was an increase in precipitation from
1953 to 2006 (Luo et al. 2007).
• In Southwest China from 1961 to 2000, the western plateau region saw an increase
in precipitation, while in the east there was a decrease, with the exception of
Chongqing (Liu et al. 2007). In the past 50 years in Lhasa, Tibet, there was a
slight decrease in precipitation at a rate of 17.8 mm/10 a in the past 30 years (Du
et al. 2008a). In the Yamdok Tso Lake Basin in Tibet, precipitation significantly
increased from 1981 to 2006 (Du et al. 2008b). Meanwhile, in the Yangtze River
source region, precipitation increased during the 1960s and 1980s and decreased
during the 1970s and 1990s (Liu et al. 2008).
• In the Hanjiang River Basin in the past 50 years, precipitation shifted from higher
rates in the 1980s to lower rates in the 1990s (Chen et al. 2006). In the upper
stream of the Han River, annual precipitation has decreased by 119.6 mm in the
past 50 years (Pu et al. 2009).
• In the middle reach of the Yellow River Basin, precipitation was below average
from 1970 to 1990 and above average from 2000 to 2007 (Yao et al. 2009). In
the 1990s, precipitation decreased in the middle reach of the Yellow River (HeLong reach), with the average annual precipitation from 1991 to 2001 33.67 mm
lower than that of 1957–1990 (Qu et al. 2008). In the Tao River Basin, annual
precipitation decreased from 1951 to 2005 at a rate of 14.5 mm/10 a to 4.6 mm/10
a (Yao et al. 2008). In the South Gansu Plateau, precipitation decreased at a rate
of 22.6 mm/10 a to 9.6 mm/10 a between 1957 and 2004 (Yao et al. 2007). In
the Loess Plateau, from 1961 to 2003, precipitation significantly decreased after
1985 (Lin and Wang 2007). In Shaanxi Province, annual precipitation generally
decreased between 1951 and 1998, with the 1990s seeing the largest decrease
415
The following list details regional variations in precipitation.
• In NCP from 1901–2006, precipitation data showed that at a 100-year scale,
precipitation in most parts of the plain increased, while only a small part of
Shandong Province showed decreased precipitation. In the past 50 years, most
regions in the plain decreased at a rate of −5 mm/a, though parts of the northeast
and western plain increased by a few mm. In the past 20 years, precipitation in the
western and central parts of the plain increased but decreased significantly in the
northeast, going down −5 mm/a and −10 mm/a in some regions (Rong and Luo
2009). Precipitation had been decreasing over the last 50 years in the Hai River
Basin, but it began to increase after 2006 (Zai et al. 2009). In Hebei Province,
annual precipitation decreased at a rate of 62 mm/10 a from 1956–2000 (Shao
et al. 2008). In Qinhuangdao City, precipitation decreased by 18.3% from 1955
to 2005 (Zhang 2007).
• According to data from six meteorological stations, precipitation underwent a
slight increase in the Taihu Lake Basin from 1954 to 2006 (Huang and Xu 2009).
In the Lanjiang River, Zhejiang Province, there was an increase in precipitation
from 1961 to 2003, particularly during the 1990s (Kang et al. 2007).
• In Meizhou, Guangdong Province, there was an increase in precipitation from
1953 to 2006 (Luo et al. 2007).
• In Southwest China from 1961 to 2000, the western plateau region saw an increase
in precipitation, while in the east there was a decrease, with the exception of
Chongqing (Liu et al. 2007). In the past 50 years in Lhasa, Tibet, there was a
slight decrease in precipitation at a rate of 17.8 mm/10 a in the past 30 years (Du
et al. 2008a). In the Yamdok Tso Lake Basin in Tibet, precipitation significantly
increased from 1981 to 2006 (Du et al. 2008b). Meanwhile, in the Yangtze River
source region, precipitation increased during the 1960s and 1980s and decreased
during the 1970s and 1990s (Liu et al. 2008).
• In the Hanjiang River Basin in the past 50 years, precipitation shifted from higher
rates in the 1980s to lower rates in the 1990s (Chen et al. 2006). In the upper
stream of the Han River, annual precipitation has decreased by 119.6 mm in the
past 50 years (Pu et al. 2009).
• In the middle reach of the Yellow River Basin, precipitation was below average
from 1970 to 1990 and above average from 2000 to 2007 (Yao et al. 2009). In
the 1990s, precipitation decreased in the middle reach of the Yellow River (HeLong reach), with the average annual precipitation from 1991 to 2001 33.67 mm
lower than that of 1957–1990 (Qu et al. 2008). In the Tao River Basin, annual
precipitation decreased from 1951 to 2005 at a rate of 14.5 mm/10 a to 4.6 mm/10
a (Yao et al. 2008). In the South Gansu Plateau, precipitation decreased at a rate
of 22.6 mm/10 a to 9.6 mm/10 a between 1957 and 2004 (Yao et al. 2007). In
the Loess Plateau, from 1961 to 2003, precipitation significantly decreased after
1985 (Lin and Wang 2007). In Shaanxi Province, annual precipitation generally
decreased between 1951 and 1998, with the 1990s seeing the largest decrease