The impact of atmospheric blocking on spatial distributions of summertime precipitation over Eurasia

Abstract

The correlation of precipitation anomalies over Eurasia with atmospheric blocking events was examined with ERA Interim reanalysis data. We found that, regardless of the frequency of the atmospheric blocking events, they significantly affect the distribution of rainfall over all Eurasian regions in summer, due to both the change in the westerly transport and the dominant dipole blocking structure. It is important that, depending on the blocking positions in Asia, there are heavy rainfalls in an arid zone which includes Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Northern China, and the Trans-Baikal Territory.