Brief communication &amp;quot;Assessment of change in temperature and precipitation over Xinjiang, China&amp;quot;

Y Zhang,L Bai,K Li,W Wang,M Liu,F Jiang,W Wei

doi:10.5194/nhess-12-1327-2012

Abstract

Abstract. Climate changes seriously affect people's daily life. Temperature and precipitation have been the focus of many studies dealing with regional climate changes in recent decades. In this study, the climatic trends in Xinjiang, northwest of China during 1961–2008 are analysed in detail on the basis of several parameters: annual and seasonal mean precipitation, and annual mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures. The results show a significant increasing trend of 7.40 mm decade−1 in the annual mean precipitation and a relatively minimal upward trend of 1.45 mm decade−1 in winter in Xinjiang. The annual mean temperature increases significantly in Xinjiang with an increasing trend of 0.30 °C decade−1. There is an increasing trend of 0.25 °C decade−1 in the annual maximum temperature and an increasing trend of 0.52 °C decade−1 in the annual minimum temperature.

Highlights

One focus of study in recent years has been the investigation of the observed trends/changes in both the long-term climatic mean state and the intensity (Easterling et al, 2000; Manton et al, 2001)
Temperature and precipitation have been the focus dealing with climate change on both a regional and global scale, since they play an important role in the global water and energy cycle
Karl et al (1996) reported that an increasing trend of highly intense precipitation spreaded across the United States in the period of 1910 to 1996

Summary

Introduction

One focus of study in recent years has been the investigation of the observed trends/changes in both the long-term climatic mean state and the intensity (Easterling et al, 2000; Manton et al, 2001). These studies are important for understanding the projection of future climate change. Temperature and precipitation have been the focus dealing with climate change on both a regional and global scale, since they play an important role in the global water and energy cycle. Y. Zhang et al.: Assessment of change in temperature and precipitation over Xinjiang daily observed data of temperature and precipitation, which include 50 meteorological stations from 1961 to 2008

Study region and data

The temperature during 1961–2008

Precipitation during 1961–2008

Findings

Conclusions