A Seasonal Prediction Model for the Summer Rainfall in Northeast China Using the Year-To-Year Increment Approach

Abstract

Using the year-to-year increment approach, this study investigated the relationship of selected climatic elements with the increment time series of the summer rainfall between successive years in Northeast China, including the soil moisture content, sea surface temperature, 500 hPa geopotential height, and sea level pressure in the preceding spring for the period 1981–2008. Two spring predictors were used to construct the seasonal prediction model: the area mean soil moisture content in Northwest Eurasia and the 500 hPa geopotential height over Northeast China. Both the cross-validation and comparison with previous studies showed that the above two predictors have good predicting ability for the summer rainfall in Northeast China.