A tree-ring width chronology of 528 years was developed from Tibetan junipers (Juniperus tibetica Kom.) from south-central Tibet in western China. The correlation and response analysis displays high correlation between tree-ring width and observed mean annual precipitation series during the period 1960e2008. Based on a linear regression model, an annual (prior July to current June) precipitation series from AD 1480 to 2008 was reconstructed. This is the first well-calibrated precipitation reconstruction for south-central Tibet. The results show that periods of wet years occurred in AD 1480e1535, 1626e1639,1651e1671, 1704e1798, 1845e1872, 1888e1907, 1917e1940 and after 1994, whereas relatively dry periods prevailed during AD 1536e1625, 1640e1650, 1672e1703, 1799e1844, 1873e1887, 1908e1916 and 1914e1993. The dry intervals in AD 1500se1550s, 1710se1800s, 1850se1870s and 1900se1920s, and the wet intervals in AD 1550se1630s, 1680se1720s, 1800se1850s and 1960se1990s occurred contemporaneously in northeastern Tibet, reflecting regional climatic variations.

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