Variations of hydro-meteorological variables in the Yellow River basin and their relationships with the East Asian summer monsoon

The Variable Infiltration Capacity(VIC) model and the Mann-Kendall test are employed to evaluate the temporal-spatial variations of hydro-meteorological variables in the Yellow River Basin(YRB) over the past 60 years. The relationships between those variables and the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) are also examined. The results show that the air-temperature has increased remarkably in the YRB since the mid-1980s; while rainfall, ET, runoff, and soil moisture have decreased in the YRB, especially in the middle reach region. Those hydro-meteorological variables in the YRB are closely related to EASM in general, although the relationships significantly vary in space. Overall, EASM shows negative relationships with air-temperature in the YRB, especially in the Ningxia-Inner Mongolia reach and inner regions. Positive relationships, however, exist between the EASM and other hydro-meteorological variables, especially in the Hekouzhen—Sanmenxia reach region. Besides, the results indicate that the runoff is more sensitive to the variation of EASM than rainfall does in the Loess Plateau. Understanding the relationships between EASM and hydro-meteorological variables has important implications for the water resources management in the YRB.