A Comparative Analysis of Primary and Extreme Characteristics of Dry or Wet Status between Asia and North America

In this study, the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) was used to analyze the average and extreme dry/wet states of Asia and North America from 1953 to 2003. The results indicate that the two continents underwent drying trends during this period. Compared with North America, Asia showed more severe drought trends. However, more significant and regular seasonal variation for drought was found in North America. The driest regions in Asia were located in the northern region of China, Mongolia, and eastern mid-Siberian plateau. Most regions in central North America were relatively wetter than other regions. The northern and southwestern regions of North America, as well as the Atlantic and Pacific coastal areas, experienced the most drought during this period. A sharp increase of the drought area and the number of extreme drought events took place from 1997 to 2003 in both Asia and North America. Severe drought events were more likely to occur during the summer on both continents. Asia had the most extreme drought events during July, but North America reached its highest drought frequency from June to September. In Asia, a persistent increasing trend of extreme drought emerged throughout the studied period. However, a more complex evolution of drought emerged in North America: a decreasing trend appeared before the mid-1960s and an increasing trend appeared after the late 1970s. A relatively steady dry/wet status was observed between the mid-1960s and the late 1970s. The role of exceptional, extreme drought events with respect to the La Nin?a event was considered during 1997–2003.     

Variations in Frequency and Intensity of Strong Tropical Cyclones Affecting China During

 Based on tropical cyclone track dataset in the western North Pacific from China Meteorological Administration (CMA), variations in frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the western North Pacific, affecting-China TCs (ACTCs) and landfall TCs (LTCs) achieving a typhoon intensity during 1957-2004 were studied. Frequencies of strong tropical cyclones showed significant decreasing trends from 1957 to 2004 and the linear trend was much greater when the intensity was stronger. There was no linear trend in the portion of strong tropical cyclones achieving a typhoon (TY) intensity, while those reaching a strong typhoon (STY) and a super typhoon (SuperTY) intensity showed decreasing trends during 1957-2004. The maximum intensities of TCs, ACTCs and LTCs all decreased during the period of 1957-2004. The mean intensities of TCs and ACTCs displayed decreasing trends and the mean intensity of LTCs achieving a TY intensity also showed a decreasing trend.     

INVESTIGATION OF THE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF EXTREME HIGH TEMPERATURE IN CHINA WITH DETRENDED FLUCTUATION AND PERMUTATION ENTROPY

With temperatures increasing as a result of global warming,extreme high temperatures are becoming more intense and more frequent on larger scale during summer in China.In recent years,a variety of researches have examined the high temperature distribution in China.However,it hardly considers the variation of temperature data and systems when defining the threshold of extreme high temperature.In order to discern the spatio-temporal distribution of extreme heat in China,we examined the daily maximum temperature data of 83 observation stations in China from 1950 to 2008.The objective of this study was to understand the distribution characteristics of extreme high temperature events defined by Detrended Fluctuation Analysis(DFA).The statistical methods of Permutation Entropy(PE)were also used in this study to analyze the temporal distribution.The results showed that the frequency of extreme high temperature events in China presented 3 periods of 7,10—13 and 16—20 years,respectively.The abrupt changes generally happened in the 1960s,the end of 1970s and early 1980s.It was also found that the maximum frequency occurred in the early 1950s,and the frequency decreased sharply until the late 1980s when an evidently increasing trend emerged.Furthermore,the annual averaged frequency of extreme high temperature events reveals a decreasing-increasing-decreasing trend from southwest to northeast China,but an increasing-decreasing trend from southeast to northwest China.And the frequency was higher in southern region than that in northern region.Besides,the maximum and minimum of frequencies were relatively concentrated spatially.Our results also shed light on the reasons for the periods and abrupt changes of the frequency of extreme high temperature events in China.     

ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY IN THE JINSHA RIVER VALLEY

Monthly mean surface air temperatures and precipitation at 20 meteorological stations in the Jinsha River Valley(JRV) of southwest China were analyzed for temporal-spatial variation patterns during the period 1961-2010.The magnitude of a trend was estimated using Sen's Nonparametric Estimator of Slope approach.The statistical significance of a trend was assessed by the MK test.The results showed that mean annual air temperature has been increasing by 0.08℃/decade during the past 50 years as a whole.The climate change trend in air temperature was more significant in the winter(0.13℃/decade) than in the summer(0.03℃/decade).Annual precipitation tended to increase slightly thereafter and the increasing was mainly during the crop-growing season.Both the greatest variation of the annual mean temperature and annual precipitation were observed at the dry-hot valley area of middle reaches.Significant warming rates were found in the upper reaches whereas the dry-hot basins of middle reaches experienced a cooling trend during the past decades.Despite of the overall increasing in precipitation,more obvious upward-trends were found in the dry-hot basins of middle reaches whereas the upper reaches had a drought trend during the past decades.     

Changing Trends of Daily Temperature Extremes with Different Intensities in China

By comparing two sets of quality-controlled daily temperature observation data with and without the inhomogeneity test and adjustment from 654 stations in China during 1956-2004 and 1956-2010, impacts of inhomogeneity on changing trends of four percentile temperature extreme indices, including occurrences of cold days, cold nights, warm days, and warm nights with varying intensities, were discussed. It is found that the inhomogeneity affected the long-term trends averaged over extensive regions limitedly. In order to minimize the inhomogeneity impact, the 83 stations identified with obvious inhomogeneity impacts were removed, and an updated analysis of changing trends of the four temperature extreme indices with varying intensities during 1956-2010 was conducted. The results show that annual occurrences of both cold nights and cold days decreased greatly while those of warm nights and warm days increased significantly during the recent 20 years. The more extreme the event is, the greater the magnitude of changing trends for the temperature extreme index is. An obvious increasing trend was observed in annual occurrences of cold days and cold nights in the recent four years. The magnitude of changing trends of warm extreme indices was greater than that of cold extreme indices, and it was greater in northern China than in southern China. Trends for summer occurrence of cold days were not significant. Decreasing trends of occurrences of both cold nights and cold days were the greatest in December, January, and February (DJF) but the least in June, July, and August (JJA), while increasing trends of warm nights were the greatest in JJA. Cold nights significantly decreased from 1956 to 1990, and then the decreasing trend considerably weakened. The decreasing trend also showed an obvious slowdown in recent years for occurrence of cold days. However, increasing trends of warm nights and warm days both have been accelerated continuously since the recent decades. Further analysis presents that the evolution of the trends for occurrences of the four temperature extreme indices was dominated by the changes in northern China.     

A STUDY ON THE VARIATIONS OF ANNUAL FREQUENCY FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE IN NORTHWEST PACIFIC DURING THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS

In this paper, a study on the variation of annual frequency of tropical cyclone (TC) and its relation with SST, Southern Oscillation index, sunspot relative number and number of days for specific circulation patterns was made by using 1884-1988 data of annual frequency for Northwest Pacific TC occurrence, which had been corrected to tendencies.Preliminary results indicated that in the variation of annual TC frequency there exist obvious p.6riods of 21, 31, 15 and 6 years and sustaining periods lasting 12 years in average.Well-defined processes of inflexion were observed in 1931, 1959 and 1977 over the past hundred years.The results also suggested insignificant statistic tendency of annual TC frequency increasing (decreasing) in winter/spring (summer/autumn )in the El Nino years.When the stratosphere was in the zonally westerly phase, the northern zonal circulation would abnormally develop and solar activity would enhance to favour the generation and development of TC.     

Long-Term Trend and Abrupt Change for Major Climate Variables in the Upper Yellow River Basin

On the basis of the mean air temperature, precipitation, sunshine duration, and pan evaporation from 23 meteorological stations in the upper Yellow River Basin from 1960 to 2001, the feasibility of using hypothesis test techniques to detect the long-term trend for major climate variables has been investigated. Parametric tests are limited by the assumptions such as the normality and constant variance of the error terms. Nonparametric tests have not these additional assumptions and are better adapted to the trend test for hydro-meteorological time series. The possible trends of annual and monthly climatic time series are detected by using a non-parametric method and the abrupt changes have been examined in terms of 5-yr moving averaged seasonal and annual series by using moving T-test (MTT) method, Yamamoto method, and Mann-Kendall method. The results show that the annual mean temperature has increased by 0.8℃in the upper Yellow River Basin during the past 42 years. The warmest center was located in the northern part of the basin. The nonlinear tendency for annual precipitation was negative during the same period. The declining center for annual precipitation was located in the eastern part and the center of the basin. The variation of annual precipitation in the upper Yellow River Basin during the past 42 years exhibited an increasing tendency from 1972 to 1989 and a decreasing tendency from 1990 to 2001. The nonlinear tendencies for annual sunshine duration and pan evaporation were also negative. They have decreased by 125.6 h and 161.3 mm during the past 42 years, respectively. The test for abrupt changes by using MTT method shows that an abrupt wanning occurred in the late 1980s. An abrupt change of the annual mean precipitation occurred in the middle 1980s and an abrupt change of the mean sunshine duration took place in the early 1980s. For the annual mean pan evaporation, two abrupt changes took place in the 1980s and the early 1990s. The test results of the Yamamoto method show that the abrupt changes mostly occurred in the 1980s, and two acute abrupt changes were tested for the spring pan evaporation in 1981 and for the annual mean temperature in 1985. According to the Mann-Kendall method, the abrupt changes of the temperature mainly occurred in the 1990s, the pan evaporation abrupt changes mostly occurred in the 1960s, and the abrupt changes of the sunshine duration primarily took place in the 1980s. Although the results obtained by using three methods are different, it is undoubted that jumps have indeed occurred in the last four decades.     

Trends of Temperature Extremes in Summer and Winter during 1971–2013 in China

The diurnal temperature range(DTR) has decreased dramatically in recent decades, but it is not yet obvious whether the extreme values of DTR have also reduced. Based on the daily maximum and minimum temperature data of 653 stations in China, a set of monthly indices of warm extremes, cold extremes, and DTR extremes in summer(June, July, August) and winter(December, January, February) were studied for spatial and temporal features during the period 1971–2013. Results show that the incidence of warm extremes has been increasing in most parts of China, while the opposite trend was found in the cold extremes for summer and winter months. Both increasing and decreasing trends of monthly DTR extremes were identified in China for both seasons. For high DTR extremes, decreasing trends were identified in northern China for both seasons, but increasing trends were found only in southern China in summer, while in winter, they were found in central China. Monthly low DTR extreme indices demonstrated consistent positive trends in summer and winter, while significant increases(P 0.05) were identified for only a few stations.     

Long-Term Trends in the Probability of Different Grades of Haze Days in China from 1960 to 2013

The number of haze days and daily visibility data for 543 stations in China were used to define the probabilities of four grades of haze days: slight haze(SLH) days; light haze(LIH) days; moderate haze(MOH) days; and severe haze(SEH) days. The change trends of the four grades of haze were investigated and the following results were obtained. The highest probability was obtained for SLH days(95.138%), which showed a decreasing trend over the last54 years with the fastest rate of decrease of-0.903% ·(10 years)-1 and a trend coefficient of-0.699, passing the 99.9%confidence level. The probabilities of LIH and MOH days increased steadily, whereas the probability of SEH days showed a slight downward trend during that period. The increasing probability of SLH days was mainly distributed to the east of 105°E and the south of 42°N and the highest value of the trend coefficient was located in the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta regions. The increasing probability of LIH days was mainly distributed in eastern China and the southeastern coastal region. The probabilities of MOH and SEH days was similar to the probability of LIH days. An analysis of the four grades of haze days in cities with different sizes suggested that the probability of SLH days in large cities and medium cities clearly decreased during the last 54 years. However, the probabilities of LIH days was 10% and increased steadily. The probability of MOH days showed a clear interdecadal fluctuation and the probability of SEH days showed a weak upward trend. The probability of SLH days in small cities within 0.8° of large or medium cities decreased steadily, but the probability of LIH and MOH days clearly increased, which might be attributed to the impact of large and medium cities. The probability of SLH days in small cities 1.5° from a large or medium city showed an increasing trend and reached 100% after 1990; the probability of the other three grades was small and decreased significantly.     

Trends in graded precipitation in China from 1961 to 2000

Daily precipitation rates observed at 576 stations in China from 1961 to 2000 were classified into six grades of intensity, including trace （no amount）, slight （≤ 1 mm d^-1）, small, large, heavy, and very heavy. The last four grades together constitute the so called effective precipitation （〉 1 mm d^-1）. The spatial distribution and temporal trend of the graded precipitation days are examined. A decreasing trend in trace precipitation days is observed for the whole of China, except at several sites in the south of the middle section of the Yangtze River, while a decreasing trend in slight precipitation days only appears in eastern China. The decreasing trend and interannual variability of trace precipitation days is consistent with the warming trend and corresponding temperature variability in China for the same period, indicating a possible role played by increased surface air temperature in cloud formation processes. For the effective precipitation days, a decreasing trend is observed along the Yellow River valley and for the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and Southwest China, while an increasing trend is found for Xinjiang, the eastern Tibetan Plateau, Northeast China and Southeast China. The decreasing trend of effective precipitation days for the middle- lower Yellow River valley and the increasing trend for the lower Yangtze River valley are most likely linked to anomalous monsoon circulation in East China. The most important contributor to the trend in effective precipitation depends upon the region concerned.     

近55 a来安阳日照时数变化趋势及未来变化趋势分析

依据安阳市近55 a(1954-2008年)逐年和逐月日照观测数据,运用线性倾向估计法和Mann-Kendall法,分析了安阳市日照时数的年际和季节变化趋势.在此基础上,运用Hurst指数对该市未来日照时数变化趋势进行了预测.结果表明:安阳市年日照时数总体呈减少趋势;日照时数季节差异较为明显,四季减少趋势强度为:冬季>夏季>秋季>春季;在未来一段时期内,安阳年日照时数仍保持与过去55 a相同的变化趋势,呈减少趋势.     

阜新地区1951—2010年降水变化特征

根据阜新地区2个观测站1951-2010年逐月和逐年降水资料,通过趋势分析、Mexicohat小波变换和Mann-Kendall突变检验等方法,分析了阜新地区降水的气候变化特征。结果表明：阜新地区近60 a来年降水量呈下降趋势,下降速率为10.7 mm/10a;降水量年际变化明显,极易出现旱涝灾害。除春季降水略有增加外,其他三季均呈减少趋势。年降水量和季节降水量均有准12 a和18 a的周期振荡。除春季降水量没有明显突变点外,夏、秋、冬三季均存在突变点,其中夏季降水量存在3个突变年份,分别为1967年、1978年和1986年,秋季降水量在1996年存在突变,冬季降水量在2004年存在突变。     

近百年哈尔滨气温的诊断研究

用SSA方法分析哈尔滨近98a月平均气温距平序列,得出哈尔滨近百年气温是增温倾向;年代际变化1909～1955年升温,1956～1969年微弱降温,1970～2006年明显升温;年际变化主要有2.315a年和4.06a振荡;月际变化主要存在8.33个月振荡。     

近50年拉萨日照时数的变化特征

采用气候倾向率方法对拉萨1953～2005年的年、季节日照时数变化趋势分析表明,近50年来拉萨年日照时数和各季节日照时数都存在不同程度的减少趋势,年日照时数以每10年27.6h倾向率减少,且这种减少的趋势在增大,主要表现在夏、秋季。20世纪50～80年代年日照时数均为正距平,90年代以负距平为其主要的年际变化特征;90年代夏季日照明显偏少,60年代冬季日照充足。年日照时数90年代末出现异常偏少年,夏季日照时数仅在2000年出现了异常偏少现象,而冬季日照时数多异常年份,主要发生在50年代。年平均总云量减少趋势明显,低云量下降趋势显著。     

广西月平均温度异常的时空特征及其变化

 利用广西88个气象测站1960-2005年各月平均温度资料，计算月平均温度异常偏高和偏低出现频次，并分别对其时空特征和演变规律进行分析。结果表明：温度异常偏高的发生频次具有较明显的阶段性，近10 a是广西月平均温度异常偏高的多发时期；温度异常偏低出现频次则呈明显的线性下降趋势，1989年以来是广西月平均温度异常偏低的少发期。了解广西月平均温度异常的这些规律，有利于提高短期气候预测水平。     

松花江、辽河流域实测径流的变化趋势及其与降水的关系

利用松花江、辽河流域内132个降水测站1961-2000年40年的月降水资料,以及水文测站哈尔滨、江桥、铁岭1956-2000年45年的月实测径流量资料,分析松花江、辽河流域实测径流的变化趋势,并探讨夏季径流与同期降水的相关性。结果表明：松花江流域的年实测径流量呈现较微弱的下降趋势,而辽河流域年实测径流呈现显著的下降趋势;两流域径流量均存在着一致的阶段性丰枯周期变化;最显著的一次波动是夏季实测径流由20世纪60年代中后期呈现的显著下降趋势转为80年代初期的明显上升趋势;降水是影响松花江、辽河流域夏季实测径流的一个重要气候因素。初步揭示了人类活动、下垫面改变对实测径流的影响。     

近50年云南省降雪的气候变化特征

利用云南省1961-2008年120个测站逐日降雪资料,分析了云南省降雪频次和范围的时空特征和气候变化.结果表明:近50年云南省的年降雪频次和范围总体呈减少趋势,平均每年频次约减少4.5频次.各月的降雪频次和范围都呈负趋势.12月降雪频次减少趋势最显著,4月降雪范围减少趋势最显著.降雪频次长期趋势变化有明显的空间变化.对于年降雪频次西北部比东北部和东部减少得多,滇西北降雪频次每年约减少0.44频次.进一步对云南省年降雪量和积雪深度的长期趋势变化进行分析.云南省近50年,降雪范围逐步减少,年降雪量和平均最大积雪深度呈增加的趋势.说明近年来在云南气候趋于暖湿背景下,年降雪频次和范围呈逐渐减少趋势,但强降雪的频次却增加了.     

西北太平洋热带气旋频数和强度变化趋势初探

利用1951—2006年西北太平洋 (含南海) 热带气旋资料, 研究了不同强度热带气旋的气候变化特征。结果表明:超强台风 (近中心最大风速≥58m/s, 简称超强台风Ⅱ) 频数、强度和初、终旋日期的变化特征都不同于其他级别热带气旋; 西北太平洋热带气旋的总频数有长期减少趋势, 主要由热带低压和超强台风Ⅱ的长期减少趋势引起; 随着热带气旋强度增强, 出现月最大频数的月份逐渐推迟; 超强台风月频数最大值发生在秋季; 超强台风Ⅱ频数的年变化与除了超强台风Ⅰ(近中心最大风速为51~58m/s) 外的其他级别热带气旋反相关; 受超强台风Ⅱ减少影响, 热带气旋年平均最大风速有减小的长期趋势; 热带气旋的初、终旋日期没有显著的长期变化趋势, 但超强台风Ⅱ的初旋日期有推迟趋势, 终旋日期有提前趋势, 发生时间缩短。     

最大风速变化特征及再现期极值估算

利用枣庄市1971~2008年各月10 min最大风速资料,对枣庄最大风速统计分析。发现38年中枣庄春季、夏季、秋季、冬季和全年的最大风速都呈下降趋势,年最大风速以每10年1.47 m/s的幅度下降,冬季下降最快,达到每10年降低1.67 m/s,夏季、秋季降低幅度很接近,都小于年平均最大风速降幅,春季最大风速下降最慢,且最大风速极值主要出现在春季。枣庄各月最大风速变化曲线呈递减的"两峰两谷"形。用柯尔莫哥洛夫方法对耿贝尔分布函数进行拟合优度的检验,其显著水平达到0.05,因此利用耿贝尔分布函数估算出枣庄未来若干年的最大风速极值,以满足生产建设规划与设计中对最大风速极值的要求。     

Long-term trend and variability of precipitation in Chhattisgarh State,India

Spatial and temporal precipitation variability in Chhattisgarh State in India was examined by using monthly precipitation data for 102 years (1901–2002) from 16 stations. The homogeneity of precipitation data was evaluated by the double-mass curve approach and the presence of serial correlation by lag-1 autocorrelation coefficient. Linear regression analysis, the conventional Mann–Kendall (MK) test, and Spearman’s rho were employed to identify trends and Sen’s slope to estimate the slope of trend line. The coefficient of variation (CV) was used to analyze precipitation variability. Spatial interpolation was done by a Kriging process using ArcGIS 9.3. Results of both parametric and non-parametric tests and trend tests showed that at 5 % significance level, annual precipitation exhibited a decreasing trend at all stations except Bilaspur and Dantewada. For both annual and monsoon precipitation, Sen’s test showed a decreasing trend for all stations, except Bilaspur and Dantewada. The highest percentage of variability was observed in winter precipitation (88.75 %) and minimum percentage variability in annual series (14.01 %) over the 102-year periods.