Interannual and Interdecadal Variations in Atmospheric Circulation Factors and Rainfall in China and Their Relationship

Wavelet analysis is used to study the interannual and interdecadal variations of rainfall in China and atmospheric circulation factors, including the key atmospheric oscillations, W, C, E patterns and subtropical high. Regression analysis and correlation analysis are both used to study the relationship of atmospheric circulation factors and China rainfall on different time scale and spatial scale. The results are as follows: (1) The variations of atmospheric circulation and rainfall in China are characterized by interannual and interdecadal scales. The variations of atmospheric circulation and rainfall are composed of interannual and interdecadal variations. It is necessary to separate those two time scales when climate changes and forecast are studied. (2) The variations of China rainfall are due to the interaction of multi-factors rather than single factors. The marked factors which influence the interannual and interdecadal variations are various. Subtropical high is one of the marked factors which influence interannual variations of rainfall, while AO, NAO, and NPO are one of the marked factors which influence interdecadal variations of rainfall. (3) The longer the time scale is, and the larger the spatial scale is, and the more remarkable the relationships between atmospheric circulation and rainfall are.