Characteristics of spatial and temporal variations of monthly mean surface air temperature over Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Abstract

The recorded meteorological data of monthly mean surface air temperature from 72 meteorological stations over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the period of 1960–2003 have been analyzed by using Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) method, to understand the detailed features of its temporal and spatial variations. The results show that there was a high consistency of the monthly mean surface air temperature, with a secondarily different variation between the north and the south of the plateau. Warming trend has existed at all stations since the 1960s, while the warming rates were different in various zones. The source regions of big rivers had intense warming tendency. June, November and December were the top three fast-warming months since the 1960s; while April, July and September presented dramatic warming tendency during the last decade.