Abstract: In the aim of better understanding the characteristics of precipitation events in Guizhou Province,observed precipitation data during 1959-2013 collected from 19 meteorological stations were used in analyzing the climate characteristics, change trend, spatial distribution, and steadiness of precipitation, number of wet days, and precipitation intensity in the past 55 years in Guizhou Province. The results suggest that in spatial scale, the precipitation was more in the south than that in the north but the number of wet days was smaller in the south than that in the north, and the two quantities were in negative correlation in space. In temporal scale, one normal period, two wet periods, and two dry periods of the precipitation could be identified in the past 55 years in Guizhou Province, but intensified precipitation zones diminished in area; furthermore, seasonal variation was remarkable, which intensified with an increasing altitude. The number of intense precipitation days and the precipitation intensity were not notable in their mean annual change trend and the spatial distribution was of a belt pattern; the minimum values were distributed along Weining-Bijie-Zunyi-Sansui region, which was, however, characterized by the highest change rate of storm intensity. The coefficient of variation of heavy rain intensity in Guizhou was small but that of storm intensity was large, with the largest coefficient value found along Weining-Bijie-Zunyi-Sansui region where the storm intensity was the lowest. The most prominent characteristic of precipitation events in the 55 years in Guizhou was: regions with low annual average precipitation, small number of wet days, and low precipitation intensity had the highest change rate in number of wet days and precipitation intensity and the lowest stability. In view of this characteristic, the impact of topography on the precipitation in Guizhou should be paid emphasis to, and observation shall be strengthened on precipitation dynamics and geological abnormities in regions with a high probability of extreme precipitation events.

Key words: precipitation events, observation data, spatiao-temporal variation, rainstorm, Guizhou Province