CHARACTERISTICS AND TRENDS OF CLIMATIC EXTREMES IN CHINA DURING 1959-C2014

Abstract:

The spatial and temporal variations of daily maximum temperature (Tmax), daily minimum temperature (Tmin), daily maximum precipitation (Pmax) and daily maximum wind speed (WSmax) were examined in China using Mann–CKendall test and linear regression method. The results indicated that for China as a whole, Tmax, Tmin and Pmax had significant increasing trends at rates of 0.15 °C per decade, 0.45 °C per decade and 0.58 mm per decade, respectively, while WSmax had decreased significantly at 1.18 m?s-1 per decade during 1959–C2014. In all regions of China, Tmin increased and WSmax decreased significantly. Spatially, Tmax increased significantly at most of the stations in South China (SC), northwestern North China (NC), northeastern Northeast China (NEC), eastern Northwest China (NWC) and eastern Southwest China (SWC), and the increasing trends were significant in NC, SC, NWC and SWC on the regional average. Tmin increased significantly at most of the stations in China, with notable increase in NEC, northern and southeastern NC and northwestern and eastern NWC. Pmax showed no significant trend at most of the stations in China, and on the regional average it decreased significantly in NC but increased in SC, NWC and the mid-lower Yangtze River valley (YR). WSmax decreased significantly at the vast majority of stations in China, with remarkable decrease in northern NC, northern and central YR, central and southern SC and in parts of central NEC and western NWC. With global climate change and rapidly economic development, China has become more vulnerable to climatic extremes and meteorological disasters, so more strategies of mitigation and/or adaptation of climatic extremes, such as environmentally-friendly and low-cost energy production systems and the enhancement of engineering defense measures are necessary for government and social publics