Rainfall spectrum change in North China and its possible mechanism

The seasonal distribution of the rainfall in North China has changed greatly since 1977, with more rainfall in spring and less in July, August, and September (JAS). Wavelet analysis showed that the JAS rainfall underwent an abrupt spectrum change in the mid-1960s. Its interannual variability has declined while the interdecadal component has become the dominant mode, associated with the dry climate. Correlation analysis found that the JAS rainfall is negatively correlated with the departures of the 500 hPa geopotential height significantly over the northwest and southwest of China, and positively correlated with the summer monsoon over eastern China. Therefore, the interdecadal ascending of the air pressure in northwestern China and the monsoon decaying over East Asia in the past 20 years may be the two major causes of North China drought.