Characteristics of Extreme Hourly Precipitation inXiamen during 1980-2017

Based on the hourly precipitation data and NCEP reanalysis data from 1980 to 2017, extreme precipitation events in Xiamen are analyzed to explore their climatic characteristics and related weather patterns. The results show the following: 1) Interannual variabilities show decreasing trends; the island exhibits a significant decreasing trend than the inland. 2) The extreme precipitation events have significant regional differences, the intensity and frequency of inland events are stronger than those of island events. However, the average intensities in both inland and island are the same. 3) The induced weather systems are categorized into four types, thase are the type of tropical cyclones, type of cold shear, type of south-west wind, and type of trough combined with cold front. With continuous development of the city, a more accurate extreme precipitation forecast is required. The results of this study are based on the hourly data, and it will possibly make the operational forecast more efficient.