Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Asymmetric changes in maximum and minimum temperature in Beijing

  • Published:
Theoretical and Applied Climatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Based on observational data at Beijing since 1940, trends in daily maximum, mimimum and mean temperatures are studied. It is shown that the linear rate of increase in minimum temperature is 4.08 °C/100 yr; whereas the maximum temperature decreases with a linear rate of — 0.245 °C/100 yr. Consequently, the diurnal temperature range (DTR) becomes smaller.

Warming in Beijing occurred mainly in the daytime in the 1940s; but in the night in the 1980s. Although the latter has been found in other studies, the former is a new discovery. The difference of temperature and the diurnal temperature range between urban and surburban areas in Beijing are also analysed. The results show that the urban heat island effect (UHIE) has been becoming larger, and during 1960–1989 the change in UHIE in summer is larger than that in winter. Since the warning trend does not match the change of UHIE in last two decades, it is thought that UHIE is not the main factor contributing to climatic warming.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beijing Meteorological Bureau, 1992:Urban Climate in Beijing. Beijing: China Meteorological Press, 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cao, H.-X., Mitchell, J. F. B., Lavery, J. R., 1992: Simulated diurnal range and varibility of surface temperature in a global climate model for present and doubled CO2 climates.J. Climate 5, 920–934.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cao, H.-X., 1993:New Perspective on Climate Change and its Causes. China Meteorological yearbook, 1993. Beijing: China Meteorological Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 1992:Climate Change 1992. The Supplementary Report to IPCC Scientific Assessment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 200 pp. 142–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karl, T. R., et al., 1993: Asymmetric trends of daily maximum and minimum temperature.Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. 74(6), 1007–1023.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, X.-C., et al., 1990: Climate trend in China for the last years.Meteorological Monthly 16(10), 16–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tang, et al., 1992: Average air temperature series and its variations in China, 1921–1990.Meteorological Monthly 18(7), 3–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xie, Z. et al., 1994: The changes of temperature and precipitation in Beijing during last 100 years.Scientia Atmospherica Sinica 18(6), 683–690.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Meteorological Bureau, China

    Z. Xie

  2. Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, China

    H. -X. Cao

Authors
  1. Z. Xie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. -X. Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

With 2 Figures

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xie, Z., Cao, H.X. Asymmetric changes in maximum and minimum temperature in Beijing. Theor Appl Climatol 55, 151–156 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00864710

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00864710

Keywords

Search

Navigation