Oceanic Thermal and Storm Dynamic Controls on Precipitation Variability of Landfalling Typhoons in Zhejiang Province, China (2000–2025)

Landfalling typhoons frequently cause severe flooding and socioeconomic losses along the eastern coast of China, yet the relative influence of oceanic and storm-related factors on precipitation variability remains insufficiently understood. This study investigates the relationships among sea surface temperature (SST), translation speed, typhoon intensity, and precipitation characteristics for 23 typhoons that made landfall in Zhejiang Province during 2000–2025. Typhoon track, intensity, precipitation, and SST data were analyzed to examine pre-landfall evolution, precipitation variability across intensity categories, and the environmental factors associated with typhoon-induced precipitation. Results showed that SST generally decreased as typhoon approached the coast, with mean values declining from 27.9 °C offshore to 24.5 °C at landfall. Translation speed exhibited a non-linear evolution during the 120 h preceding landfall, with an average speed of 9.8 km h−1 and a weak positive tendency toward the coast. Peak 24 h precipitation varied considerably among intensity categories. Severe typhoons (STY) produced the highest mean precipitation (120.9 ± 92.3 mm), whereas super typhoons (SuperTY) exhibited lower but more consistent rainfall totals. Correlation analysis revealed a weak relationship between translation speed and rainfall (r = −0.18), indicating that storm motion alone was insufficient to explain rainfall variability. SST showed a moderate negative correlation with rainfall (r = −0.53), highlighting the complex relationship between ocean thermal conditions and precipitation variability. These findings show that typhoon precipitation over Zhejiang is associated with the combined variability of storm intensity, ocean thermal conditions, atmospheric moisture availability, and coastal environmental conditions, providing scientific insights for understanding typhoon-related hazards under climate change.