Nonuniform variations of precipitation and temperature across China over the period 1960–2015

Abstract

“Warm season rainfall” is an important feature of China's climate, dominated by the East Asian Monsoon. In the context of climate change, this seasonal connection between precipitation and temperature may be altered. However, few studies have investigated the nonuniform variations in precipitation and temperature. This study examines nonuniform variations between precipitation and temperature in China, based on four indicators: precipitation concentration degree (PCD), precipitation concentration period (PCP), temperature concentration degree (TCD) and temperature concentration period (TCP). The results suggest that PCD and TCD experienced decreasing trends during the period from 1960 to 2015, respectively. Spatially, PCD and TCD exhibited asymmetrical change, with half of all stations in the humid subtropical region showing increasing trends in PCD and decreasing trends in TCD. Meanwhile, PCP and TCP exhibited decreasing trends, respectively. Increasing trends in PCP and decreasing trends in TCP, were found in 27% of all stations, mainly in the eastern humid subtropical region, whereas 20% showed decreasing trends in PCP and increasing trends in TCP, mostly across the southern humid subtropical, northern temperate humid/semi-humid and temperate semi-arid regions. In general, precipitation and temperature showed a nonuniform variation, indicating that annual feature of precipitation and temperature are changing.