Characteristics of Temperature Change in China over the Last 2000 years and Spatial Patterns of Dryness/Wetness during Cold and Warm Periods

This paper presents new high-resolution proxies and paleoclimatic reconstructions for studying climate changes in China for the past 2000 years. Multi-proxy synthesized reconstructions show that temperature variation in China has exhibited significant 50–70-yr, 100–120-yr, and 200–250-yr cycles. Results also show that the amplitudes of decadal and centennial temperature variation were 1.3℃ and 0.7℃, respectively, with the latter significantly correlated with long-term changes in solar radiation, especially cold periods, which correspond approximately to sunspot minima. The most rapid warming in China occurred over AD 1870–2000, at a rate of 0.56°± 0.42℃（100 yr）^（-1）; however, temperatures recorded in the 20 th century may not be unprecedented for the last 2000 years, as data show records for the periods AD 981–1100 and AD1201–70 are comparable to the present. The ensemble means of dryness/wetness spatial patterns in eastern China across all centennial warm periods illustrate a tripole pattern： dry south of 25°N, wet from 25°–30°N, and dry to the north of 30°N. However, for all centennial cold periods, this spatial pattern also exhibits a meridional distribution. The increase in precipitation over the monsoonal regions of China associated with the 20 th century warming can primarily be attributed to a mega El Nino–Southern Oscillation and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. In addition, a significant association between increasing numbers of locusts and dry/cold conditions is found in eastern China. Plague intensity also generally increases in concert with wetness in northern China, while more precipitation is likely to have a negative effect in southern China.

The Variation Characteristics of the Cool and Warm Summer of the Northeast China

By analyzing the features of cold and warm summer of the northeast China during 1961-2002,the results showed the time from 1960s to late 1970s was the phase of cold summer took place,and the time from 1980s to early 1990s was the phase of cold and warm summer alternately took place.After the middle and late period of 1990s,it was the concentrated occurrence period of warm summer.The cool and warm summer had the continuity and cluster occurrence characteristics.The frequency of the cool summer was more than the warm summer,and the abnormal degree of warm summer was stronger than the cool summer,and the influence scope was wide.The cool summer had 4 frequent occurrence centers,and the warm summer had 2 frequent occurrence centers,located at the mountain zone and the hills zone.Not only the cool summer was easy to appear,but also the warm summer was easy to happen in the west and the east of Heilongjiang province.Comparatively speaking,the cool summer was easier to appear in the Changbai Mountain area.

Analysis on the Characteristic of Frontal Precipitation Weather Situation in Jilin Area

By analyzing and studying a lot of weather charts and the weather condition of several typical cases,some kinds of unconventional high-altitude and ground weather situations whether the ground cold,warm front had the precipitation in Jilin area were summarized.The results showed that the temperature field was the main element field which affected the weather variation.The analysis and research on the movement condition of cold,warm air in the different temperature-pressure field configuration in the high-altitude was the key of frontal precipitation weather forecast.

Nonlinear changes in cold spell and heat wave arising from Arctic sea-ice loss

Whether Arctic sea-ice loss has significant impacts on climate extremes in mid-and high-latitudes remains uncertain.Here we show the full response of cold and warm extremes under two Arctic sea-ice loss scenarios utilizing a coupled global climate model that permits the air-sea coupling.Our results show that the amount of Arctic sea-ice loss determines the spatial extent and magnitude of the weakening of atmospheric circulation in mid-and high-latitudes of the northern hemisphere,leading to nonlinear changes in cold and warm extremes.A relatively localized and moderate weakening of atmospheric circulation induced by the projected sea-ice loss in the next two decades would contribute to less winter cold extremes over the Northern Hemispheric continents.The risks of winter cold spells would be dramatically reduced as the amount of sea-ice loss is increased to the ice-free state.In contrast,as sea-ice loss increases,the continental regions would have increased risk of heat waves over all mid-and high-latitudes.

Analysis on the Long-Lasting Freezing Rain and Snowstorm Event at the Beginning of 2008

In this paper,main characteristics of the long-lasting freezing rain and snowstorm event in southern China at the beginning of 2008,features of the related atmospheric circulation and the causes thereof are analyzed.During the event,patterns of the atmospheric circulation stayed stable;the polar vortex located in the northern part of the Eastern Hemisphere was strong with little movement;the cold front from the polar region and the active warm air mass from the tropical ocean confronted each other for a long time;the blocking high to the west of Baikal remained strong and steady;the trough over central and western Asia maintained its position for quite long with a group of little troughs splitting from it frequently;the dominant wind at 700 hPa was southwesterly while shears and vortexes at 850 hPa developed continually,providing the necessary low-level convergence for subsequent precipitation.Meanwhile,in the mid troposphere,eddies were generated over the Tibetan Plateau and positive vorticity disturbances in the Sichuan Basin propagated eastward to the coastal regions of eastern China.The western Pacific subtropical high was intensive with westward and northward migrations.The subtropical frontal zone was puissant and the north-south temperature gradient was large.Quasi-stationary fronts over South China and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau remained stable.Warm air masses over the tropical ocean were active,so was the trough in the southern branch of the westerlies over the Bay of Bengal.There were four episodes associated with this event.The first one was featured with the interaction of strong cold and warm air,while the other three with the quasi-stationary fronts over South China and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau as well as vigorous penetration of cold air from the north.The existence of the inversion layer and the thick melting layer were one of the main reasons for the long-lasting freezing rains.The main reason for the snowstorms was that the positive vorticity over the Sichuan Basin propagated eastward to the coastal regions of eastern China.Abundant water vapor and intense updraft also favored the heavy snows.