Abstract:Based on the monthly precipitation at 81 stations in southern China during the period from 1955 to 2001, the classification of the drought and flood for each station is performed with the Z index. Results show that in spring the occurrence of the drought was more frequent in central part of China and the boundary between Guangdong and Guangxi, while the flood occurred more frequently in Hunan province and the coastal area in south China. The frequency of the drought in summer and autumn in the area of 106 °E~115 °E, 23 °N~32 °N and northeastern part of Sichuan province is higher, and the higher frequency of flood appeared in the Yangtze valley, central part of Yunnan province and the coastal area in south China. The frequency of drought and flood in winter is lower than in other three seasons in most area of southern China with the high frequency center of drought mainly concentrating in central part of Yunnan, Anhui as well as Jiangsu, and higher freguency of flood appeared in southwestern part of China. By using EOF analysis the precipitation area in spring is mainly divided into the dry region in the north (south) and the moist region in the south (north). The precipitation area in summer is mainly divided into the Yangtze valley, the coastal area in south China and Yunnan province. The distribution of the precipitation in autumn and winter is relatively uniform, namely, either drought or flood in southern China.