Abstract: Based on the daily precipitation data at 14 weather stations during April to May from 1961 to 2008 in Liaoning province, the correlations between the beginning date of the first spring soaking rain and circulation background at 500 hPa as well as sea surface temperature (SST) were analyzed. The results indicate that the date of the first spring soaking rain in Liaoning province has a good correlation with the height field at 500 hPa during September to November last year, and it is of corresponding relation with inter-decadal variations of circulation on the north hemisphere in April of the same year. The date of the first spring soaking rain in Liaoning province is in a significantly negative correlation with the prophase SST in the North Pacific Ocean. The date of the first spring soaking rain occurs early when the prophase SST is high in the North Pacific Ocean, while it delays when the prophase SST is low.

Key words: Liaoning, soaking rain, circulation background, correlation analysis, Liaoning province, Spring soaking rain, Circulation background, Sea surface temperature (SST), Correlation