Observed and GCM simulated decadal variability of monsoon rainfall in east China

Variability and associated mechanisms of summer rainfall over east China are identified and described using both observations and a general circulation model (GCM) simulation. The observations included two data sets: the 90-station, 1470-1988 annual drought/flood index and the 60-station, 1889-1988 monthly mean precipitation measurements. The GCM data set is a 100-year equilibrium simulation of the present climate. Spectra of the drought/flood index indicated decadal cycles which decrease from north ( similar to 47y) to south ( similar to 21y). Correlation coefficients show decadal variability in the relationship between index values along the Yangtse River valley and those over northeast and southeast China.