Origin of the 30–60-day intraseasonal oscillation of streamflow in source region of Yellow River in China: a perspective of the atmospheric signals from mid-high latitude

Abstract Streamflow in source region of Yellow River (SRYR) matters with regard to the adjacent and downstream water resources. Intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) in the streamflow in SRYR is of great significance to the sub-seasonal prediction of streamflow in SRYR, but is unknown. Here, we first report a 30–60-day ISO in the streamflow in SRYR, which is regulated by the atmospheric 30–60-day ISO at mid-high latitude over North Eurasia. The 30–60-day ISO in atmosphere is featured by a Rossby wavetrain, and the wave energy propagates southward onto the TP, which causes anomalous wind response over TP. The leading anomalous high (low) with anti-cyclonic (cyclonic) wind anomalies over the TP favors dry (wet) air in lower troposphere in SRYR, via enhancing the water vapor divergence (convergence). Dry (wet) air always results in strong (weak) evaporation from the Yellow River, which causes the later streamflow valley (peak) and thereby the 30–60-day ISO in the streamflow in SRYR.