A unique phenomenon occurs persistently during spring and summer over the Tarim Basin, located on the northern flank of the Tibetan Plateau (TP), where dust aerosols are lofted and remain suspended at altitudes of 3~5 km. The radiative effects of these persistently lofted dust aerosols can heat the upper atmosphere, inducing a northward expansion of the TP heat source, which exerts potential impacts on weather, climate, and the water cycle in Central Asia. To address the urgent scientific question regarding the synergistic effects of the massive TP topography and the thermal forcing of the Tarim Basin on regional climate change, We conducted a study on the “northward expansion” of the summertime heat source over the Tibetan Plateau induced by radiative heating from dust aerosols persistently suspended over the Tarim Basin, and its influence on regional precipitation variability. Through a systematic investigation (January 2020 to December 2025), utilizing long-term satellite remote sensing, meteorological and environmental monitoring, and dust aerosol field observations, alongside specific field campaigns on the northern slope of the TP and the Taklimakan Desert, this study employed an integrated approach combining aerosol optical-radiative properties, atmospheric dynamics, climate diagnostics, and numerical simulations. We systematically analyzed the spatiotemporal variations of atmospheric dust aerosols and their radiative forcing in the Tarim Basin; revealed observational evidence of the northward expansion of the TP heat source induced by radiative heating of lofted dust aerosols; and elucidated the mechanisms by which this heat source expansion influences precipitation variability in Xinjiang. The research findings deepen our understanding of how TP topographic forcing affects climate change in Central Asia and hold potential application value for regional precipitation forecasting in Central Asia.