2.1　Precipitation

The average annual precipitation in China was 622.3 mm in 2014, almost equal to normal and 3.8% less than that in 2013. The variation of annual precipitation during 1956—2014 is shown in Figure 1, the regional distribution of the 2014 annual precipitation is shown in Figure 2, and that of the difference between the 2014 annual precipitation and normal is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 1 Variation of annual precipitation in China during 1956—2014

Among the first-class water resources regions (Class I WRRs), the Songhua, Liaohe, Haihe, Yellow, Huaihe and Northwest Rivers (Northern Six Regions for short) had an average annual precipitation of 316.9 mm, which was 3.4% less than normal and 12.6% less than that in 2013; and the Yangtze (including the Taihu Lake Basin), Southeast Rivers, Pearl and Southwest Rivers (Southern Four Regions for short) had an average annual precipitation of 1,205.3 mm, which was almost equal to normal and 1.0% more than that in 2013. Among the ten Class I WRRs, the Liaohe, Haihe, Huaihe, Southwest Rivers and Northwest Rivers had an annual precipitation less than normal, in which the Liaohe and Haihe had an annual precipitation 21.9% and 20.2% less than normal, respectively, and all the other regions had an annual precipitation more than normal, in which the Yellow had an annual precipitation 9.3% more than normal. Compared with 2013, except that the Yellow, Huaihe, Yangtze and Southeast Rivers had an increased annual precipitation, all the regions had a decreased annual precipitation to a varying extent, in which the Liaohe, Songhua and Haihe had an annual precipitation 26.1%, 24.0% and 22.0% less than that in 2013, respectively. Table 1 and Figure 4 show comparison of the 2014 precipitation with the 2013 precipitation and normal by Class I WRR.

Table 1 Comparison of 2014 precipitation with 2013 precipitation and normal by Class I WRR

Figure 4 Comparison of 2014 precipitation with normal by Class I WRR

Note: The Yangtze includes the Taihu Lake Basin.

Among the provincial administrative regions (PARs), the 11 PARs in eastern China (East China for short) had an average annual precipitation of 1,045.8 mm, which was 5.4% less than normal; the eight PARs in central China (Central China for short) had an average annual precipitation of 925.4 mm, 1.1% more than normal; and the 12 PARs in western China (West China for short) had an average annual precipitation of 501.0 mm, almost equal to normal. Among the 31 PARs, 17 had an annual precipitation more than normal, in which Ningxia, Shanghai and Qinghai had a quantity over 20% more than normal; and 14 had an annual quantity less than normal, in which five (Liaoning, Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong and Hebei) had a quantity over 20% less than normal. See Table 2 and Figure 5 for comparison of the 2014 precipitation with the 2013 precipitation and normal by PAR.

Table 2 Comparison of 2014 precipitation with 2013 precipitation and normal by PAR

Figure 5 Comparison of 2014 precipitation with normal by PAR