The effect of ENSO events on climate in the western Sichuan Plateau area

Based on the precipitation and temperature data from seven meteorological stations in the western Sichuan Plateau area and the data of El Nino/La Nina events from 1951 to 2010, the relationship between precipitation, temperature and El Nino /La Nina events was analyzed. The effect of El Nino/La Nina events on the climate in the western Sichuan Plateau area was studied. The results indicate that the annual precipitation in the western Sichuan Plateau area changes weakly since 1951, and it has a weak increasing trend. El Nino/La Nina events have impact on the annual average precipitation. The annual average precipitation decreases because of the impact of El Nino events, while it increases because of the impact of La Nina events. The annual precipitation is 39.14 mm less in El Nino years than in the normal year, while it is 22.56 mm higher in La Nina year than in the normal year. The average of annual temperature fluctuates weakly and has an increasing trend in the western Sichuan Plateau area since 1951 .The correlation between the levels of ENSO events and the average annual temperature in the western Sichuan Plateau area is not significant since 1951.