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Abrupt emissions reductions during COVID-19 contributed to record summer rainfall in China

Author

Listed:
  • Yang Yang

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Lili Ren

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Mingxuan Wu

    (Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

  • Hailong Wang

    (Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

  • Fengfei Song

    (Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
    Ocean University of China
    Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (QNLM))

  • L. Ruby Leung

    (Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

  • Xin Hao

    (Nanjing University for Information Science and Technology)

  • Jiandong Li

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Lei Chen

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Huimin Li

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Liangying Zeng

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Yang Zhou

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Pinya Wang

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Hong Liao

    (Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology)

  • Jing Wang

    (Tianjin Key Laboratory for Oceanic Meteorology, Tianjin Institute of Meteorological Science)

  • Zhen-Qiang Zhou

    (Fudan University)

Abstract

Record rainfall and severe flooding struck eastern China in the summer of 2020. The extreme summer rainfall occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, which started in China in early 2020 and spread rapidly across the globe. By disrupting human activities, substantial reductions in anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols might have affected regional precipitation in many ways. Here, we investigate such connections and show that the abrupt emissions reductions during the pandemic strengthened the summer atmospheric convection over eastern China, resulting in a positive sea level pressure anomaly over northwestern Pacific Ocean. The latter enhanced moisture convergence to eastern China and further intensified rainfall in that region. Modeling experiments show that the reduction in aerosols had a stronger impact on precipitation than the decrease of greenhouse gases did. We conclude that through abrupt emissions reductions, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed importantly to the 2020 extreme summer rainfall in eastern China.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang Yang & Lili Ren & Mingxuan Wu & Hailong Wang & Fengfei Song & L. Ruby Leung & Xin Hao & Jiandong Li & Lei Chen & Huimin Li & Liangying Zeng & Yang Zhou & Pinya Wang & Hong Liao & Jing Wang & Zhen, 2022. "Abrupt emissions reductions during COVID-19 contributed to record summer rainfall in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-28537-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28537-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ruhua Zhang & Wen Zhou & Wenshou Tian & Yue Zhang & Junxia Zhang & Jiali Luo, 2024. "A stratospheric precursor of East Asian summer droughts and floods," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Zuer Li & Qihang Li, 2024. "Balancing Submarine Landslides and the Marine Economy for Sustainable Development: A Review and Future Prospects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-26, July.
    3. Pinya Wang & Yang Yang & Daokai Xue & Lili Ren & Jianping Tang & L. Ruby Leung & Hong Liao, 2023. "Aerosols overtake greenhouse gases causing a warmer climate and more weather extremes toward carbon neutrality," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.

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