Spring Dust Storms Increased the Extreme Precipitation Over Pamirs Plateau

Abstract Pamirs Plateau (PP) is the Central Asian Water Tower and the precipitation over PP is important for the water resources of Central Asia. Dust storms from Middle East and Central Asia in spring significantly affect the precipitation over PP, but the impact mechanism is unclear. The Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF–Chem) was used to explore the total dust aerosol effects, aerosol–radiation interactions (ARIs), and aerosol–cloud interactions (ACIs) on precipitation over PP. Results show that the dust increased the precipitation by 22% and expanded the areas of extreme precipitation by 1%–21% over PP. ARIs acted to suppress precipitation by stabilizing the atmosphere and evaporating cloud droplets, while ACIs increased precipitation through increasing ice and liquid clouds. Studying the impact of dust on precipitation over PP is crucial for protecting the balance of water towers and human survival and development in the downwind areas.