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Arid Land Geography ›› 2025, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (7): 1141-1152.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2024.437

• Climatology and Hydrology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Trend analysis of seasonal changes in Xizang based on climate change and new seasonal division

SHI Jiqing1,2(), LUO Zhen1, YIXI Zhuoma1, LIU Sai3(), LI Jihong4, DANZENG Yiga1, GAN Chenlong5   

  1. 1. Xizang Climate Center, Lhasa 850000, Xizang, China
    2. Xigazê National Climate Oberservatory, Xigazê 857000, Xizang, China
    3. Xizang Meteorological Disaster Prevention Technology Center, Lhasa 850000, Xizang, China
    4. Nagqu Meteorological Bureau, Nagqu 852000, Xizang, China
    5. Maizhokunggar County Meteological Bureau, Lhasa 850000, Xizang, China
  • Received:2024-07-19 Revised:2024-09-05 Online:2025-07-25 Published:2025-07-04
  • Contact: LIU Sai E-mail:shijiqing10@126.com;liusaiotl@163.com

Abstract:

This study analyzes daily temperature data from 38 meteorological stations in Xizang, China, covering the period from 1981 to 2023. A new method for seasonal division in Xizang was employed to categorize the four seasons, and the regional climate changes, temporal shifts in the start dates of each season, and trends in seasonal changes were examined. The results show the following. (1) Areas with four distinct seasons in Xizang are primarily found along the Yarlung Zangbo River and in Nyingchi City, whereas regions with less distinct seasonal variations (including areas without a summer season) are mainly situated in the western and northern parts of Xizang as well as in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas. (2) In Xizang, the beginning of spring and summer tends to occur earlier, whereas the onset of autumn and winter tends to be delayed. Notably, the start date of spring was significantly earlier in 2000, whereas the onset of autumn and winter was significantly delayed in 2003 and 1995, respectively. (3) Regarding the timing of seasonal starts, the first empirical orthogonal function (EOF1) for spring and autumn exhibited a pattern of “northwest low and southeast high in spring, and middle high and both sides low in autumn”. In spring, the second EOF (EOF2) presented a contrasting distribution pattern of “northwest positive and southeast negative”, whereas in autumn, EOF2 showed an opposite spatial distribution pattern characterized by “southwest positive and northeast negative”. The EOF1 in winter revealed a “high in the north and low in the southwest” pattern, whereas the EOF2 shared similarities with that of spring’s EOF2. (4) Looking ahead, we anticipate that the start dates of spring and summer will be delayed, whereas those for autumn and winter will be advanced.

Key words: start date, wavelet analysis, trend analysis, empirical orthogonal function (EOF), Xizang