ZHANG Wei, WANG Chengyu, WANG Dagang. Temporal and spatial variation of abrupt cooling and warming in Chinese mainland based on site observations during 1979-2019[J/OL]. Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Sunyatseni, 2026, 1-9.
DOI:
ZHANG Wei, WANG Chengyu, WANG Dagang. Temporal and spatial variation of abrupt cooling and warming in Chinese mainland based on site observations during 1979-2019[J/OL]. Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Sunyatseni, 2026, 1-9. DOI: 10.11714/acta.snus.ZR20250085.
Temporal and spatial variation of abrupt cooling and warming in Chinese mainland based on site observations during 1979-2019
The increase in short-term temperature extremes, despite global warming, poses significant threats to ecosystems and society. However, most research has predominantly focused on absolute temperature changes rather than their direction, specifically, rapid cooling and heating events. Using daily maximum temperature data from 2 295 meteorological stations across China (1979-2019) provided by the National Meteorological Administration, this study employed the threshold method to identify such events. It systematically explored their spatiotemporal patterns and driving mechanisms by combining the Mann-Kendall trend test with linear regression models. The results show that the frequency was highest around the Tibetan Plateau (9.37 for cooling and 9.24 for heating events per year). While the Sichuan-Chongqing region experienced the most significant increase in these temperatures, southern China showed a rapid upward trend from a relatively low baseline. In contrast, northeastern China exhibited a declining trend. The annual pattern of both cooling and heating events follows a sinusoidal wave, peaking significantly in spring. Over 60% of the stations show increasing trends. Attribution analysis indicates that the intensified positive phase of the Arctic Oscillation influenced the decrease in rapid cooling events in the northeast, while increased solar shortwave radiation was a key factor driving the rise in rapid heating events in eastern and southwestern China. This study can provide a scientific foundation basis for formulating effective climate change adaptation strategies across various regions of China.
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