Advances in Earth Science

   

Subseasonal Predictability Limit of Pentad Mean Temperature and Precipitation in China

Yan Runqing1, Liu Jingpeng2*, Ren Hongli1   

  1. (1. State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather Meteorological Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; 2. China Meteorological Administration Key Laboratory for Climate Prediction Studies, National Climate Center, Beijing 100081, China)
  • About author:Yan Runqing, research area includes climate predictability in East Asia. E-mail: bjyanrq@163.com
  • Supported by:
    Project supported by the Major Science and Technology Project of the Xizang Autonomous Region (Grant No.XZ202402ZD0006); The National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2023YFC3007700, 2024YFC3013100).

Yan Runqing, Liu Jingpeng, Ren Hongli. Subseasonal Predictability Limit of Pentad Mean Temperature and Precipitation in China[J]. Advances in Earth Science, DOI: 10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2026.018.

Abstract:By quantitatively analyzing the Predictability Limit (PL) for subseasonal climate variables, this study provides an important scientific basis for improving the accuracy of short‑range climate forecasts and for supporting disaster prevention and mitigation services. Based on the theory of nonlinear error growth and the nonlinear local Lyapunov exponent, we used observational data to estimate the PL for subseasonal temperature and precipitation over China, and further examined the seasonal variations in their spatial distributions. The results show that: ① The annual mean PL of subseasonal temperature exhibits pronounced spatial heterogeneity across China. Over most regions, the PL ranges from 15 to 25 days and displays a north‑low-south‑high pattern. The coastal areas and southern parts of South China form the most prominent high‑value zones, where the predictability horizon can exceed 35 days. ② The PL of subseasonal temperature shows significant seasonal characteristics. Predictability is relatively low in spring and winter, and higher in summer and autumn. In spring, the PL is generally lower and its spatial distribution is comparatively uniform; in summer, spatial differences in PL are strongest, exhibiting a zonal “high in the north and south, low in the middle” structure. In autumn, PL reaches its highest values among the four seasons, exceeding 30 days over most of the country. In winter, an inverse pattern to that of autumn occurs, with lower values in northern and southern regions and higher values in the mid‑Yangtze River basin and southwestern China. ③ The PL of subseasonal precipitation is overall lower than that for temperature. Unlike temperature, the seasonal differences in precipitation predictability are relatively small across different hydrological states. For both annual and seasonal averages of PL, the wet‑state PL is highest, followed by the normal state, with the dry state being lowest. The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers constitute low‑PL regions in the dry state but high PL regions in the wet state, indicating a clear dependence of PL on precipitation state. This study quantitatively reveals the spatial distribution patterns and seasonal variation characteristics of the predictability limit for subseasonal temperature and precipitation in China, thereby providing a dynamical perspective for deepening the understanding of these predictability limits and their regional differences.
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