Abstract:Based on the daily precipitation data from surface observations and the ERA5 reanalysis of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF), the spatiotemporal distribution and circulation characteristics of winter heavy rainfall in Hainan Island from 1991 to 2020 are analyzed. Results show that the inter-monthly (December-February) distribution of winter heavy rainfall in Hainan differ markedly, namely, the greater the rainfall intensity, the more obvious is the difference. We also found a distinct regional variation with the highest frequency of rainfall occurrence in the eastern region and much less in the western region. This is attributable to the water vapor transport into Hainan Island that is mainly from the easterly flow in the southern portion of the subtropical high and the northeasterly flow in the southeast of the continental cold high. As compared with the regional climate, the occurrence of winter heavy rainfall in Hainan Island is characterized with a stronger easterly low-level jet, a more obvious southern trough structure over the Indo-China peninsula, a fairly strong subtropical high, and a stronger outflow of the South Asian high to the northwest as well as a significant positive SST anomaly in the South China Sea.