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Change trends of air temperature and precipitation over Shanxi Province, China

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Abstract

A dataset of air temperature and precipitation time series (1959–2008) from 61 stations across Shanxi, China is used to analyze the climate change. The monotonic trends and step (abrupt) trends for annual and seasonal series data of mean air temperature and total precipitation are tested by using Mann–Kendall test and Mann–Whitney test, respectively. The results show that annual mean air temperature has increased by 1.20°C during the past 50 years. Winter, spring, and autumn have experienced a significant increase in air temperature. The step trend for annual mean air temperature is different from, but closely related with, those for seasonal mean air temperature. Spatially, there is an enhanced warming trend from south to north in Shanxi, and the most remarkable warming occurs in northern Shanxi. Annual precipitation has decreased by 99.20 mm during the past half century. The decrease is mainly caused by precipitation decline in rainy season (June–September), though precipitation in post-rainy season (October–November) also tended to decrease. An abrupt decrease in precipitation has occurred since late 1970s. Decrease in precipitation is highest in central Shanxi and in the area along the west fringe between Sanchuan River and Fenhe River in western Shanxi.

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Acknowledgements

This study has been supported by the Special Fund (20081143) from the Development and Reform Commission of Shanxi Province under the project “The integrated management planning for the loess plateau region: Shanxi Province.” The permission using the data of monthly mean air temperature and monthly total precipitation from the Shanxi Science and Technology Department is highly appreciated.

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  1. Institute of Loess plateau, Shanxi University, No. 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, People’s Republic of China

    Xiao-hui Fan & Meng-ben Wang

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  1. Xiao-hui Fan
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  2. Meng-ben Wang
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Correspondence to Meng-ben Wang.

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Fan, Xh., Wang, Mb. Change trends of air temperature and precipitation over Shanxi Province, China. Theor Appl Climatol 103, 519–531 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-010-0319-2

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