Water Vapor Budget Features and Its Precipitation Effects over the Key Area of Sichuan-Tibet Railway in Summer

Abstract

In this study, we investigate the variation of characteristics of summer precipitation with different magnitudes and the water vapor budget in different key areas of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway by using the daily precipitation data from meteorological stations and the monthly mean ERA-Interim reanalysis data from 1979 to 2018. The results show that the summer heavy precipitation anomaly in the Brahmaputra valley and mountain (BVM) area is generated by the multi-scale interactions between the unique topography and different water vapor transports at low latitudes. When an intense anticyclonic circulation occurs over the western Pacific and the South China Sea, there is also an anomalous anticyclonic circulation extending from the northern Indian Peninsula to the Bay of Bengal. This circulation pattern is conductive to the increase of the water vapor inflow from the southern boundary and the net water vapor budget in the BVM area. The strong southwesterly wind and water vapor convergence over this area thus leading to heavy precipitation in the summer. The summer heavy precipitation amount, frequency and intensity in the western parts of the steep terrain (ST) area on the east slope of the plateau are positively correlated with the water vapor inflow from its western boundary. However, the correlations of the water vapor budget to the summer heavy precipitation amount and frequency are opposite in the eastern parts of the ST area. The unique terrain and circulation patterns lead to the localization and diversity of heavy precipitation in the ST area.

Keywords

• key area of Sichuan-Tibet railway
• summer heavy precipitation
• water vapor budget
• unique terrain
• circulation anomaly