Profound interdecadal variability of the summer precipitation over the upper reaches of the Yangtze River Basin

Abstract

The upper reaches of the Yangtze River Basin (UYRB) are famous for their hydropower generation and water resources in China, relying greatly on precipitation. The UYRB summer precipitation has decreased since the early 2000s and has been exposed to a particularly dry period in the most recent two decades. By analyzing the long-term variability from the beginning of the 20th Century, we found that the precipitation exhibits a profound periodic interdecadal variation, with a significant cycle of 30–50 years. The interdecadal variability of precipitation is shown to be significantly modulated by both the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), exerting their impact through related circulation anomalies. Moreover, the periodical nature of the UYRB precipitation variation and its correlation with AMO/PDO suggest that the UYRB might enter a wet period in the forthcoming decade, i.e. rich in hydroelectric resources but a high risk of flood.