A new study has identified the types and formation mechanisms of heavy precipitation in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, shedding light on critical meteorological processes in the region.

The study, conducted by researchers from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was published online in the Science Bulletin.

The region of southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the foremost area for summer heavy precipitation on the plateau. Heavy precipitation plays a crucial role in replenishing water resources, local glacier mass balance and ecosystems on the plateau. However, it can trigger secondary disasters in this region.

Identifying the large-scale circulation types and dynamics that drive summer heavy precipitation in this region is of importance, according to the study.

Researchers used the hierarchical clustering method and meteorological observation data of the region over 35 years to explore the types and formation mechanisms of the heavy precipitation.

Two distinctive atmospheric circulation patterns associated with heavy precipitation were identified: the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau vortex type and the mid-latitude trough type, according to the study.

The study result showed that, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau vortex type events are characterized by the eastward and dry-to-wet potential vorticity progression processes, while the mid-latitude trough type events are linked to the intrusion of a deep extratropical trough into the region of southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, dubbed "Asia's water tower," is a critical water resource reservoir, exerting a profound influence on regional and even global water cycles and ecosystems.

The new finding advances our understanding of the complex mechanisms that govern the summer heavy precipitation in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, according to the study.