Abstract:Based on the monthly precipitation data from 740 stations in China, NOAA monthly mean sea surface temperature data and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data, the interdecadal differences and their causes of the effects of sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) on the annual variation of winter precipitation in South China over the past 50 years (1961/1962 to 2010/2011 winter) were analyzed by statistical methods in this paper. The results show that:(1) The winter precipitation in China is mainly located in the south of the Yangtze River, with strong interannual variation. After 1987, winter precipitation in the El Niño year was higher in South China. (2) Winter precipitation in South China is closely related to SSTA in the equatorial Middle East Pacific Ocean and in the western part of the Oceanic Continents. However, there are interdecadal differences in correlation. Before 1987, it was mainly related to the SSTA in the western part of the Oceanic Continents while it was mainly related to the SSTA in the equatorial Middle East Pacific Ocean after 1987, followed by the SSTA in the western part of the Oceanic Continents. (3) Before 1987, the sea surface temperature in the western part of Oceanic Continents affected the precipitation in South China by affecting the circulation situation in East Asia and water vapor conditions. After 1988, the influence of oceanic continents tended to be weaken, while the sea surface temperature anomaly in the equatorial Middle East Pacific affected the winter precipitation intensity in southern China by changing water vapor conditions.