Contribution of Thunderstorms to Changes in Hourly Extreme Precipitation over China from 1980 to 2011

Abstract In many countries, thunderstorms are the main contributor to hourly extreme precipitation (HEP). Prior studies have shown that number of decreased steadily in whole country China; however, HEP has increased significantly several areas over past half-century. The role changes occurrence remains largely unknown China. this study, for first time, we used continuous 32-yr records and thunder, fifth-generation European Centre Medium-Range Weather Forecasts atmospheric reanalysis (ERA5), analyze under various vertical wind shear (VWS) environments, their contribution occurrence. events associated with (TD-HEP) southern China (SC) but northeastern (NEC) east Tibetan Plateau (ETP). Weak VWS accounted 69.1% TD-HEP SC. Changes most unstable convective available potential energy precipitable water (PW) SC favored an increase weak-VWS thunderstorms, which resulted 2.35 h per warm season overall “station-mean” from 1980 2011. As major NEC, moderate by 0.37 season, due mainly a reduction PW, leading negative trend events. Similarly, decreasing on ETP was decrease 1.12 thunderstorms. Studying environments therein warming climate, can improve understanding