Changes in Summer Extreme Wind Gusts in Southern and Northwestern China Associated with Distinct Atmospheric Circulation Patterns During 1961–2024

Abstract Wind gusts—rapid surges in wind speed occurring within minutes or even seconds—pose significant risks to aviation, infrastructure, and human safety. Yet, the changes in extreme wind gusts (EWGs) across China remain poorly understood. Here, using the fifth generation ECMWF atmospheric reanalysis (ERA5) data, we examine long-term trends and variability in summer EWGs across China from 1961 to 2024. Southern China (SC) and northwestern China (NWC) emerge as key hotspots of summer EWG variations, exhibiting significant increases in EWG days and frequency over the past six decades. In SC, EWGs are associated with low pressure anomalies and intensified surface disturbances over the northern South China Sea and adjacent waters. In NWC, EWGs are significantly correlated with widespread low pressure anomalies from the Middle East to central Asia and increased surface disturbances in NWC. Anomalous midlatitude Rossby waves play a crucial role in both regions. In SC, they induce a northward shift of the northwestern Pacific subtropical high, heightening the likelihood of convective systems and typhoon landfalls. In NWC, they generate northeastward-tilting low pressure anomalies between the lower and midtroposphere, enhancing atmospheric baroclinicity. Both processes can result in more variable surface pressure, thereby being consistent with amplified disturbances and more frequent EWGs in SC and NWC. These findings enhance our understanding of the variability and dynamics of wind extremes in China, offering valuable implications for regional climate risk assessment and disaster preparedness. Significance Statement This study addresses a critical gap in understanding wind extremes across one of the world’s most populous and economically vital regions. We identify southern and northwestern China as emerging hotspots with rapidly increasing frequencies of summer extreme wind gusts, associated with distinct atmospheric circulation patterns. Our findings reveal that anomalous Rossby waves modulate wind gusts through region-specific mechanisms—displacing the subtropical high in southern China (SC) and enhancing baroclinicity in northwestern China. These insights advance our understanding of the variability and dynamics of wind extremes, with important implications for aviation safety, infrastructure resilience, and renewable energy management.