Cloud ability to produce precipitation over arid and semiarid regions of Central and East Asia

Abstract

Distributed across Central and East Asia (CEA) is the largest arid and semiarid (ASA) region where the air water resources are highly significant. In this study, the cloud water resources and ability of clouds to produce precipitation over the ASA region in CEA are analysed in detail. The findings of this study indicate that both the regional liquid water path (LWP) and ice water path (IWP) tend to increase over the ASA region in CEA from 1982 to 2015, where the IWP increases more significantly at a rate of 8.61 g⋅m−2⋅decade−1. Especially, the increases in LWP and IWP indicate much more significant over the semiarid area in CEA. Simultaneously, the precipitation increases slightly, except for a weak decreasing trend over the semiarid region in East Asia from 1982 to 2015. Consequently, the clouds show a decreased precipitation efficiency over most areas of the CEA region. Over the semiarid region, especially in East Asia, the precipitation amount tends to slightly decrease from 1982 to 2015, and a decreased precipitation efficiency is found over there. Overall, the precipitation efficiency of cloud indicates maximum decrease over the semiarid area, and a minimum decrease is found over the arid area of CEA during 1982–2015. A possible mechanism relating to the consequence of aerosols suppressing precipitation may exist. In future studies, more focus should be placed on the cloud precipitation mechanism over the ASA region in CEA.