The severe drought of 1876–1878 in North China and possible causes

An extreme drought occurred from 1876 to 1878 in most regions of northern China, leading a series social impacts, including harvest failures, price inflation, and population migration. Most the Northern Hemisphere concurrently experienced drought. Here, we use reconstructed high-resolution hydroclimatic (Palmer Drought Severity Index/precipitation) datasets investigate seasonal–annual spatial patterns intensity North China 1878. Furthermore, select combined sea surface temperature (SST) modes with positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)/Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) El Niño conditions 1200-year control run simulations HadCM3 determine possible causes this severe The extent selected SST are similar those Pacific oceans during 1876–1878 period National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature (ERSST) dataset. results show that large-scale is mainly driven by PDO, while effect IOD not significant. may trigger circumglobal teleconnection Hemisphere. And, meridional disturbance eastward Rossby wave train at mid-latitudes change troughs ridges further block water vapor transport ocean land.