Characteristics of Hourly Extreme Precipitation over the Eastern Extension of the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

The eastern extension of the Tibetan Plateau (EETP) has complex terrain, unique climate characteristics, and significant regional differences. Based on the hourly precipitation data from 444 stations over the EETP, the characteristics of the extreme precipitation event (EPE) diurnal cycle over the EETP and their regional differences during the warm season (May–September) have been indicated and revealed in this study. The mean duration of EPEs at most stations over the EETP is over 6 h, except for some stations in the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau and Yunnan province. In addition to the Qinba Mountain area, EPEs developed rapidly in most stations. EPEs with long (short) durations usually start at night (afternoon). But in the southwestern part of the Sichuan Basin (eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau), long-duration EPEs and short-duration EPEs often start at night (afternoon to early night). Meanwhile, the long-duration EPEs lead to the nocturnal diurnal peaks and eastward propagating features of extreme precipitation amount (EPA) over the EETP. In the Sichuan Basin (the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau), the onset and peak moments of total EPEs show a single diurnal peak and appear at midnight (late afternoon to early night). The onset and peak moments of EPEs in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau and the Qinba Mountain area exhibit two diurnal peaks, one at midnight and the other from afternoon to early night. Over the EETP, for the long-duration EPEs, the peak moments are often delayed by 2–3 h compared to the start moment, while for the short-duration EPEs, the peak moment and the start moment almost coincide.

Keywords

• hourly extreme precipitation
• diurnal cycle
• regional differences
• the eastern extension of the Tibetan Plateau