Increased stream flow in the Nu River (Salween) Basin of China, due to climatic warming and increased precipitation

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the influence of climatic changes on the annual stream flow of the Nu (Salween) River, over the period from 1958 to 2004. While the flow of the Nu River is mainly influenced by precipitation, the role of temperature in governing stream flow appears to be increasing as the climate warms. The first principal component extracted from climatic data accounts for 52.5% of observed variance in stream flow over the period 1958–2004. A transition toward a warmer, more humid regional climate has been ongoing since the 1980s, as evidenced by increases in temperature, precipitation, and stream flow in the Nu River Basin. A continuing trend toward higher temperatures and more intense precipitation will likely lead to increased Nu River stream flow in the future. Synoptic climatology indicates a link between extremes in annual Nu River stream flow and anomalies in atmospheric circulation patterns such as the mid-latitude westerlies and the South Asian Summer Monsoon.