State of China's climate in 2022

Abstract

China experienced a warm and dry climate in 2022. The average annual surface air temperature (SAT) was 10.51°C, which was the second highest since 1961. The annual average rainfall was 606.1 mm, which was the lowest since 2012. The seasonal SAT broke the record in spring, summer, and autumn, while the SAT in winter was slightly cooler. More rainfall was observed in winter and spring, but less in summer and autumn. During the flood season from May to September, rainfall was 11.9% less than normal, which was the third lowest since 1961. The spatial distribution of rainfall anomalies exhibited a wet/dry pattern in the north/south of central and eastern China. The onset of the rainy season was generally earlier but with significant differences in rainfall. More rainfall was observed in the pre-flood season in South China and the rainy season in North China and Northeast China. In contrast, less rainfall occurred in the Mei-yu season in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze and Huaihe River valleys, the southwestern rainy season, and the autumn rainy season in West China. In 2022, China's drought and flood disasters were stark, and heat waves were strong. Severe droughts occurred along the Yangtze River valley during summer and autumn, while heavy rainfall and flooding struck South China in the pre-flood season and Northeast China in June–July. A historically strongest summer heat wave occurred in central and eastern China, while drastic cooling prevailed in most of China at the end of November. Landfalling typhoons were extremely less frequent.摘要2022 年我国气候暖干特征明显, 年平均气温偏高 0.62℃, 位居1961年以来历史第二高; 年降水量偏少5%, 为2012 年以来最少, 冬春季降水偏多, 夏秋季降水偏少. 汛期(5–9 月)降水量偏少11.9%, 位居1961年以来第3少, 中东部降水距平呈“北多南少”分布. 雨季进程偏早, 雨量空间差异大, 华南前汛期, 华北雨季, 东北雨季降水量偏多, 而长江中下游和江淮梅雨降水偏少. 华南, 东北洪涝灾害重, 南方夏秋连旱严重, 中东部遭遇最强高温过程, 登录台风异常偏少.