Detection and attribution of extreme precipitation changes from 1961 to 2012 in the Yangtze River Delta in China

The results indicate a similar pattern of extreme daily precipitation events during different return periods, but the differences in the daily precipitation extremes are quite larger between stations. Thus, regional analyses of different return periods are needed to minimize the risks and losses from extreme precipitation events. We also found reversed trends of extreme daily precipitation events in the YRD when assuming gradual and abrupt changes over the period of 1961-2012. The trend attribution analyses showed that a large-scale monsoon might play a critical role in the intensity and frequency of extreme daily precipitation events in the YRD. However, local factors (e.g., typhoons and urbanization) might play an important role in extreme precipitation changes under a monsoon background.