China experiencing the recent warming hiatus

Abstract

Based on the homogenized data set, we analyze changes in mean temperature and some extreme temperature indices over China since 1961 and especially during the recent warming hiatus period (1998-2012) in a global average context. The result shows that the decrease of annual mean maximum has contributed most to the decreases in overall mean temperature and in diurnal temperature range (DTR) during the warming hiatus period. In most parts of China except the southwest, the summer mean maximum temperature (TxS) shows the largest increase, while the winter mean minimum temperature (TnW) indicates slight cooling trends. These changes have augmented the seasonal cycle and increased the likelihood of extreme warm and cold events. Further analyses reveal that the increases in TxS are significantly correlated with concurrent increases in solar radiation. In southwest China, the annual mean temperature, TxS, TnW, and DTR increased during 1998-2012, possibly related to increased dryness in this region during the hiatus period.