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The unprecedented 2022 Yangtze River Basin (YRB) heatwave is a threat to human society and natural ecology, so the understanding of its underlying drivers is critical to regional climate adaptation and resilience. Here we conducted a multi‐method attribution analysis on the contribution of atmospheric circulation change and anthropogenic impacts to the occurrence probability and intensity of this extreme heatwave. Based on the nonstationary statistical analysis, the 2022 YRB heatwave is a 1‐in‐900‐year event and a 1‐in‐110‐year event with and without considering the 2022 YRB heatwave in the fitting, respectively. The large‐scale meteorological condition analysis shows that the 2022 YRB heatwave is featured with an anomalous high‐pressure system that favors a hot and dry atmospheric column, overlaid by anomalous subsidence and clear skies which leads to warming and greater solar heating. The ensemble constructed circulation analogue analyses show that the circulation anomaly fails to explain the observed 2022 YRB SAT anomalies fully. Specifically, 46% (0.132 ± 0.027°C decade−1) of the observed SAT trend during 1979–2022 (0.290 ± 0.048°C decade−1) is caused by anthropogenic warming and the associated thermodynamic feedback, while the remaining 54% (0.157 ± 0.038°C decade−1) of the trend is caused by changes in the large‐scale atmospheric circulation. Our findings on changes in atmospheric circulation patterns associated with YRB heatwave and anthropogenic contributions to YRB heatwave could provide valuable information for climate adaptation and mitigation strategies in the context of a warming climate. Plain Language Summary: Heatwaves are major climate extremes in the context of global warming, which have inverse effects on human health, food and energy production, and ecosystems. The 2022 heatwave in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) sets a new record in observational history with its extreme intensity, long duration, and widespread affected areas. The 2022 YRB heatwave is too exceptional to be possible without anthropogenic warming, which is a 1‐in‐900‐year event and a 1‐in‐110‐year event, respectively, with and without considering it in the nonstationary statistical fitting. An anomalous and prolonged high‐pressure system predominated the evolution of the 2022 YRB heatwave, which favors anomalous subsidence and clear skies, leading to hot and dry atmospheric conditions. Next, we applied an ensemble circulation constructed analogue approach to separate the contributions of large‐scale circulation changes and anthropogenic warming in generating the 2022 heatwave. The results reveal that circulation dynamics can only partially explain the 2022 event. When historical changes are taken into account, the changes in large‐scale circulation and anthropogenic warming, respectively, can account for 54% and 46% of the observed summer surface air temperature anomalies in the YRB region. Key Points: The 2022 Yangtze River Basin (YRB) heatwave, linked to anomalous circulation backgrounds, set unprecedented records for surface air temperature (SAT)The atmospheric circulation anomalies alone cannot fully explain the SAT anomalies during the 2022 YRB heatwaveThe variation in atmospheric circulation and anthropogenic warming contributed nearly equally to the historical SAT trend of YRB [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study inter-compares the spatiotemporal features of precipitation extremes at global and regional scales within six daily precipitation datasets, i.e., gauge-based (Global Precipitation Climatology Center dataset, GPCC), satellite-retrieval (Precipitation Estimation From Remotely Sensed Information Using Artificial Neural Networks-Climate Data Record, PERSIANN-CDR), three reanalysis datasets (ERA-Interim, ERAI; the National Center for Atmospheric Research Reanalysis 2, NCEP2; and the WATCH-Forcing-Data-ERA-Interim, WFDEI), and products merged from the three type datasets (the Multi-Source Weighted-Ensemble Precipitation, MSWEP). All datasets reproduce similar spatial patterns of both annual and seasonal precipitation extremes over the period from 1979 to 2017. Compared to the reference dataset gauge-based GPCC, the reanalysis WFDEI outperforms among six products with spatial correlation coefficients of 0.89 and 0.80 for the annual extreme indices (i.e., annual total amount of 95th precipitation and maximum 1-day precipitation), respectively. The satellite-based product PERSIANN-CDR performs better than reanalyses and merged datasets in capturing the temporal variability of the intensity and amount of precipitation extremes with similar changing tendencies and magnitudes of about 45 mm day−1 and 230 mm at the global scale, respectively. The reanalyses and merged products underestimate the intensity of precipitation extremes. The selected six datasets behave differently in various regions. For the percentile-based frequency of precipitation extremes, NCEP2 performs well in regions of the Southeast Asian (SEA) and Amazon (AMZ), while WFDEI better matches GPCC over East North America (ENA) and North Australia (NAU) in both spatial patterns and temporal changes with correlation coefficients of 0.84 and 0.90, respectively. For the intensity features of annual precipitation extremes, NCEP2 performs better than other four datasets over regions of SEA, AMZ and West Africa (WAF). ERAI and WFDEI are consistent with GPCC in ENA and NAU with correlations coefficients of the intensity between ERAI (WFDEI) and GPCC are 0.82 (0.77) and 0.78 (0.64) for ENA and NAU, respectively. For the intensity of seasonal precipitation extremes, GPCC shows the highest estimates in regions of SEA, AMZ, ENA and WAF. ERAI and WFDEI perform better in reproducing the spatial patterns of seasonal precipitation extremes in all regions. NCEP2 (ERAI and WFDEI) show(s) consistent temporal variability of seasonal precipitation extremes with GPCC in regions of AMZ and WAF (ENA and NAU). Overall, there are large discrepancies in the absolute values of daily precipitation among datasets, and performances of non-gauged-based precipitation datasets in capturing the spatiotemporal variability of precipitation extremes are dependent on seasons, regions, and time periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both large-scale atmospheric circulation and moisture content in the atmosphere govern regional precipitation. We partition recent changes in mean, heavy, and extreme precipitation for all seasons over Canada to changes in synoptic circulation patterns (dynamic changes) and in atmospheric moisture conditions (thermodynamic changes) using 500-hPa geopotential height and precipitation data over 1979–2014. Using the self-organizing map (SOM) cluster analysis, we identify statistically significant trends in occurrences of certain synoptic circulation patterns over the Canadian landmass, which have dynamically contributed to observed changes in precipitation totals and occurrence of heavy and extreme precipitation events over Canada. Occurrences of circulation patterns such as westerlies and ridges over western North America and the North Pacific have considerably affected regional precipitation over Canada. Precipitation intensity and occurrences of precipitation extremes associated with each SOM circulation pattern also showed statistically significant trends resulting from thermodynamic changes in the atmospheric moisture supply for precipitation events. A partition analysis based on the thermodynamic–dynamic partition method indicates that most (~90%) changes in mean and extreme precipitation over Canada resulted from changes in precipitation regimes occurring under each synoptic circulation pattern (thermodynamic changes). Other regional precipitation changes resulted from changes in occurrences of synoptic circulation patterns (dynamic changes). Because of the high spatial variability of precipitation response to changes in thermodynamic and dynamic conditions, dynamic contributions could offset thermodynamic contributions to precipitation changes over some regions if thermodynamic and dynamic contributions are in opposition to each other (negative or positive), which would result in minimal changes in precipitation intensity and occurrences of heavy and extreme precipitation events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the observed daily precipitation data across East China, this paper analyzes spatiotemporal changes of annual and seasonal extreme precipitation indices during 1960–2015. Effects of changes in atmospheric circulation on seasonal extremes were also detected by using the singular value decomposition method. Results show that amount of annual, spring and summer extreme precipitation over East China showed a significant increase with a maximum changing rate of 7.2, 3.2 and 5.4 mm decade−1, and the stations with upward tendency mainly located in the southern part of East China. Preceding sea surface temperature of the Indian Ocean and the Equatorial Pacific Ocean shows great influences on spring extreme precipitation over East China through modulating anomalous anticyclones and winds, especially over the downstream of the south of East China. Summer extreme precipitation is statistically significantly correlated with the western North Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) and positive anomalies of 500 hPa geopotential heights. Anomalously strong WPSH combining with two blocking highs in mid-latitude regions tends to trigger more extreme precipitation events in the Yangtze River Basin but less in the Yellow River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Mild impact of climate extremes on vegetation was found for Hu Line transect in China. • Latitudinal and altitudinal patterns of vegetation responses to climate were analyzed. • Non-woody plants in the mid-to-high latitudes were more sensitive to climate extremes. • Productivity above 45°N increased with drought severity due to favorable environment. • Policy making suggestions were proposed with emphasis on the identified hotspots. Climate projections infer increasing frequency of extreme events in the future which would alter terrestrial hydrologic functioning and ecosystem services. Understanding the responses of vegetation to extreme events can provide prerequisite knowledge to mitigate climate change impacts. The relationships between climate extremes and vegetation phenology and productivity were examined for a transect along the Hu Line across China during 1988–2014. Results show that high frequency and severity of droughts existed in the mid-latitude regions where happened to be mostly occupied by grassland and cropland with relatively low productivity compared to trees. Prolonged growing seasons (4.3 days/decade) resulted mostly from advanced green-up were observed over the transect. No strong impact of extreme droughts on vegetation was observed for any plant functional types, due to the timing of drought occurrences primarily in pre- and post-growing seasons while water supply was likely not so limited during growth indicated by a drought index. Non-woody plants in the mid-to-high latitudes (37-54°N) were identified more sensitive to climate extremes than woody plants in the low latitudes. Meanwhile, grassland in the relatively low-elevation areas (<1000 m.a.s.l) was more responsive than that in the high-elevation areas. Productivity above 45°N increased with drought severity attributable to an intensified favorable environment during frequent and mild droughts with warmer temperature and increased solar radiation. The results may suggest the generally relative stability of the ecosystems along the Hu Line, however, with further deteriorating climate, the stable relationships between climate and ecosystems may be shifted, likely starting from low-elevation grassland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]