Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Summer Heatwaves in Hexi Oasis during 1962–2020

Abstract

Based on the daily gridded (0.5° × 0.5°) maximum temperature data during 1962–2020, the spatiotemporal characteristics of heatwaves in Hexi Oasis, Gansu Province, China and their influencing factors are investigated. The results showed that for the last 59 years, the overall trends of high-temperature heatwaves in Hexi Oasis were prolonged duration (0.276 d/10a), increased frequency (0.007 times/10a), and decreased intensity (−0.072 °C/10a). In terms of spatial variation, there was a gradually decreasing trend from northwest to southeast for both the duration and frequency of heatwaves. In the contrary, heatwaves with higher intensity were mainly distributed over the southeastern and central parts of Hexi Oasis. The Mann–Kendall (M-K) analysis demonstrated that the mutation years of the duration and intensity of heatwaves are 2009 and 1992, respectively, while the frequency remained nearly constant for the last 59a. In addition, the cycles for the duration (2.6a and 7.2a), frequency (2.8a and 7.6a), and intensity (2.6a) of heatwaves agree well with those of atmospheric circulation and El Niño events, indicating that the above events have a great impact on the heatwaves. The influencing factors analyzation implies that the heatwaves are mainly influenced by Asian zone polar vortex area index (APVAI), East Asia major trough (EAT), Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau index (TPI), and carbon dioxide emissions (CDE). Additionally, it is concluded that the intensity of heatwaves was negatively correlated with the size of the subtropical high-pressure area in the western Pacific Ocean.