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<p>Dust storms represent a serious global environmental issue due to their adverse effects on air quality, crop growth and energy supply, as well as on regional to global weather and climate. However, a solid understanding of the long-term changes in dust storms and their possible causes remain largely unknown. Based on station observations, this study investigates the trend and variability in dust storm frequency over northern China during 1961–2020, and examines their likely relationship with the atmospheric circulation and soil moisture changes. The results show that the annual and seasonal mean dust storm frequency declined significantly over 1961–2020 across the northern China, particularly in northwest China and the central part of northern China. We reveal that the weakened pressure gradient between western Siberia and northern China in the low troposphere leads to a decline of dust transport from Central Asia and Mongolia to northern China. The physically-based dust emission model simulations confirm that decreased surface wind speed and increased soil moisture can effectively diminish local dust emissions over northern China and Mongolia. Therefore, variations in pressure gradient and surface conditions are key drivers of the observed decline in the dust storm frequency over northern China. This study highlights the key role of large-scale atmospheric circulation and local conditions in regulating the dust storm activity, and has crucial implications for the dust storm mitigation strategies.</p>

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Decline in dust storm activity over northern China during 1961–2020: an examination of likely causes

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月30日

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  • Gangfeng Zhang,
  • Yiwen Wang,
  • Cesar Azorin-Molina,
  • Lorenzo Minola,
  • Kaiqiang Deng,
  • Yaoyao Ma,
  • Ziqi Lin,
  • Heng Ma,
  • Peijun Shi

摘要

Dust storms represent a serious global environmental issue due to their adverse effects on air quality, crop growth and energy supply, as well as on regional to global weather and climate. However, a solid understanding of the long-term changes in dust storms and their possible causes remain largely unknown. Based on station observations, this study investigates the trend and variability in dust storm frequency over northern China during 1961–2020, and examines their likely relationship with the atmospheric circulation and soil moisture changes. The results show that the annual and seasonal mean dust storm frequency declined significantly over 1961–2020 across the northern China, particularly in northwest China and the central part of northern China. We reveal that the weakened pressure gradient between western Siberia and northern China in the low troposphere leads to a decline of dust transport from Central Asia and Mongolia to northern China. The physically-based dust emission model simulations confirm that decreased surface wind speed and increased soil moisture can effectively diminish local dust emissions over northern China and Mongolia. Therefore, variations in pressure gradient and surface conditions are key drivers of the observed decline in the dust storm frequency over northern China. This study highlights the key role of large-scale atmospheric circulation and local conditions in regulating the dust storm activity, and has crucial implications for the dust storm mitigation strategies.