Abstract
Based on the homogenized daily data of 2255 meteorological stations during the past 60 years from 1961 to 2020, the potential evapotranspiration was calculated using the revised FAO56 Penman–Monteith model, and then the annual AI (aridity index, the ratio of annual potential evapotranspiration to annual precipitation) was employed to analyze the dry-wet climate change in China. The GCM models’ prediction data was used to analyze the possible trends of dry-wet climate in China by the end of this century. The results showed that in the past 60 years, the climate in China was getting wetter, especially in the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, western Qinghai, Gansu, western Inner Mongolia, and northwestern Tibet. In the last 10 years, China’s climate has become more humid. Compared with the 1960s, the total area of aridity has decreased by about 650,000 square kilometers. The changes of different climate zones have regional and periodical characteristics. There was a tendency to get wet periods in all four seasons, especially in summer. Analysis of GCM model projection data shows that by the end of this century, the climate in China would have a general trend of becoming drier. The drier regions are mainly located in the central and eastern parts of China, while the western regions of China continue to maintain the wetting trends. In the case of high emissions, the trends of drying in the central and eastern and wetting in the west are more significant than in the case of medium emission.
Highlights
In the context of globalization, more and more attention has been paid to research on dry-wet climate change
Zheng al. [5,6] applied the aridity index to study the climate zoning of China in different years, and pointed out that the semi-arid and semi-humid zones in north China and the arid zones in Inner Mongolia had a general trend of becoming drier in the past 60 years (1951–2010)
Based on the above considerations, this paper applies the latest homogenized observational data and climate projection data provided by the China Meteorological Administration, as well as the revised FAO56 Penman–Monteith model was applied to calculate potential evapotranspiration, and combines precipitation to construct an aridity index and adopts the 6-level dry-wet classification standard to carry out in-depth research on the overall characteristics, regional characteristics, interdecadal, and seasonal changes of China’s dry-wet climate changes in the past 60 years (1961–2020), revealing the pattern of dry-wet climate changes in China’s different regions from a deeper level, and its possible trends by the end of this century, providing a scientific basis for China’s response to climate change and its related risks
Summary
In the context of globalization, more and more attention has been paid to research on dry-wet climate change. Based on the above considerations, this paper applies the latest homogenized observational data and climate projection data provided by the China Meteorological Administration, as well as the revised FAO56 Penman–Monteith model was applied to calculate potential evapotranspiration, and combines precipitation to construct an aridity index and adopts the 6-level dry-wet classification standard to carry out in-depth research on the overall characteristics, regional characteristics, interdecadal, and seasonal changes of China’s dry-wet climate changes in the past 60 years (1961–2020), revealing the pattern of dry-wet climate changes in China’s different regions from a deeper level, and its possible trends by the end of this century, providing a scientific basis for China’s response to climate change and its related risks
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
