Abstract:By analyzing the daily precipitation data of four provinces along the Huaihe River Valley, and the reanalysis of NCEP 500 hPa height field, the persistent and strong precipitation process (PSPP) along the Huaihe River Valley between 1961 and 2006 was defined. The development and change of the blocking high at high latitudes prior to and during the PSPP were analyzed as well. The research results have brought the conclusion that on average, from June 29 to July 25, the Huaihe River Valley had the highest precipitation. The PSPP happened mostly between mid June to mid July. Before the PSPP starting, obvious blocking high pattern was found near the Urals, in which double blockings dominated. Whereas during the PSPP, the blocking high near the Urals weakened and that at the north and east of the Lake Baikal became strong, in which a single blocking dominated. The PSPP mostly happened 2 to 5 days after the sharp decrease of the blocking high index. During the years of PSPP, the blocking high near the Urals had an oscillation cycle of 15 to 30 days. In most of the years, the blocking high near the Urals and 180°E moved to the west before the PSPP started. The results in this article are helpful in mastering the characteristics of the strong precipitation along the Huaihe River Valley and precursor signal, and lay the basis for the forecasting of the persistent and strong precipitation along the Huaihe River Valley.