Articles | Volume 30, issue 21
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-6963-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-6963-2026
Research article
 | 
10 Nov 2026
Research article |  | 10 Nov 2026

Is earlier always better? A comparative assessment of an early-stage response window for rainfall timing in multiyear drought alleviation in China

Yichen Zhang, Fubao Sun, Wenbin Liu, Jie Zhang, Wenli Lai, Jiquan Lin, Wenchao Sun, Wenjie Liu, Zhongyi Sun, and Peng Wang

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Multiyear droughts (MYD) greatly affect ecosystems and human life. Using historical MYDs in China (1991–2020) and numerical experiments, we assessed how rainfall timing affects MYD alleviation. We found an early-stage response within the first three months of MYD, where rainfall is generally most effective. Within this window, the second and third months may exceed the first month, especially in drier regions and longer MYDs. These findings highlight rainfall timing in MYD alleviation.
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