Cloud water path, precipitation amount, and precipitation efficiency derived from multiple datasets on the Qilian Mountains, Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Orographic clouds and precipitation are critical to the water cycle ecology of arid semiarid mountainous regions. This study intended investigate spatial seasonal distribution cloud path (CWP), amount, efficiency (PE) on Qilian Mountains (QM) northeastern Tibetan Plateau, as well related mechanisms linked with topographic vapor transport. To solve limitations rain gauges radar observations at high elevations QM, we used latest multiple datasets, including Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM), Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer, ECMWF Reanalysis v5 data from 2016 2019. The amount retrieved two GPM products was evaluated using gauge data. results show that generally overestimate QM have a correlation in warm seasons low winter seasons, primarily due significant influences snow ice coverage. terrain height supply below 600 hPa factors determine distributions QM. increased an increase elevation 3000 m decreased above CWP, PE areas much higher than those surroundings decrease southeast northwest because low-level supply. were highest summer strong moisture transport lowest weakest Water fluxes eastern, southern, northern boundaries contributed wetness eastern slopes lack westerly winds main reason for drought western