Temperature trend-altitude relationship in China during 1963-2012

Based on daily air temperature data from 745 stations in China, the present study investigates the regional characteristics of temperature trend and the dependence of temperature changes on the altitude during the period of 1963-2012. There is a consistent warming trend throughout the country except for the southwest China where a cooling trend is identified. Moreover, significant warming trend exists in highland areas such as the Northeast, Inner Mongol, and the Tibet region. Compared with other seasons, the warming trend is most pronounced in highland regions in winter. In summer, the temperature has no obvious increasing trend in north China, while the cooling trend is found in south China. The relationship between altitude and temperature trend is further investigated by dividing China into three subregions according to the altitude-below 200, 200-2,000, and above 2,000 m. Although there is no simple linear relationship between elevation and warming trend on national scale, the temperature trend-altitude relation is different among the three regions. The temperature trend decreases with altitude below 200 m while increases from 200 to 2,000 m, and a weak positive temperature trend-altitude relation is found over 2,000 m. The strongest temperature trend-altitude relations are found in the subtropical regions, especially pronounced south of 36A degrees N in China. The magnitudes of decreases from 200 to 2,000 m are one order lower than the increases below 200 m. Low-altitude stations appear to be influenced more by anthropogenic aerosols. High-altitude stations are mostly located in flat terrain and sparsely populated region. Therefore, temperature trends change with elevations.