Changes of atmospheric water vapor budget in the Pearl River basin and possible implications for hydrological cycle

In this study, we thoroughly analyzed abrupt behaviors, trends, and periodicity properties of water vapor flux and moisture budget entering and exiting the four edges of the Pearl River basin based on the NCAR/NCEP reanalysis dataset by using the continuous wavelet transform and the simple two-phase linear regression technique. Possible implications for hydrological cycle and water resource management of these changes are also discussed. The results indicate that: (1) the water vapor propagating through the four edges of the Pearl River basin is decreasing, and it is particularly true for the changes of the water vapor flux exiting from the north edge of the study river basin. The transition point from increase to decrease occurs in the early 1960s; (2) The wavelet transform spectra indicate that the monthly water vapor flux through the north edge decreases and this decrease is mainly reflected by intermittent distribution of the wavelet power spectra after early 1980s. The periodicity properties of the water vapor flux through the north edge imply that the northward propagation of water vapor flux decreases after the 1980s; (3) close relations between water vapor flux, precipitation and streamflow implies that the altered hydrological cycle in the Pearl River basin is mainly manifested by seasonal shifts of water vapor flux after early 1960s. One of the direct consequences of these changes of water vapor flux is the seasonal transition of wet and dry conditions across the Pearl River basin. Regional responses of hydrological cycle to climate variation/change could be different from one river basin to another. Hydrological responses of the Pearl River basin to the global warming are mainly demonstrated by seasonal shifts of precipitation changes: winter comes to be wetter and summer tends to be dryer. The finding of the seasonal transition of precipitation in the Pearl River basin is of great scientific and practical merits in basin scale water resource management in the Pearl River basin under the changing climate and global warming in particular.     

The impact of climate change on the Niger River Basin hydroclimatology, West Africa

Climate change has the potential to reduce water availability in West Africa. This study aims to quantify the expected impact of increased greenhouse gases (GHGs) on hydroclimatology of Niger River Basin (NRB). Boundary data from a general circulation model are used to force a regional climate model, to produce dynamically downscaled hydroclimatic variables of NRB under present-day (PRS) and future climate scenarios. The data were further analyzed to detect changes in atmospheric and surface water balance components and moisture recycling ratio (β). The results show that elevated GHGs (under A1B scenario) would produce a drier climate during the rainy season and a wetter climate during the dry season. A warmer climate over NRB in all months was projected. Highest temperature increase of 3 °C occurs about 14°N in May and June, and the smallest increase of 0.5 °C occurs below 8°N in wet-dry transition period. Evaporation reduces during wet season and increases during the dry periods. Humidity increases by 2 % in the dry season, but decreases by 2–4 % in the wet season. Maximum change in moisture influx of 20.7 % and outflux of 20.6 % occur in June and July, respectively. β is projected to decrease in 75 % of the months with biggest relative change of ?18.4 % in June. The projected decrease in precipitation efficiency (ρ) during the wet season reaches ?20.3 % in June. For PRS run, about 66 % of the available atmospheric moisture in NRB precipitates between June and September, of which around 21 % originates from local evaporation. The result suggests that under enhanced GHGs, local evaporation will contribute less to atmospheric moisture and precipitation over the basin. Projected changes in rainfall and streamflow for Upper Niger and Benue sub-basin are significantly different during the wet season.     

渭河流域干旱特征及干旱指数计算方法初探

利用游程分析、马尔可夫平稳概率、随机过程等方法分析了渭河流域的干旱特征。结果表明，近44年（1958-2001年）渭河流域降水连续多水（少水）期多持续2～3年，单独多（少）水年出现的概率比连续多水（少水）年的概率大，连少年的概率比连多年的概率大，平均连续少水年数大于平均连续多水年数；枯（丰）水与偏丰（偏枯）之间的转移突变较大，对用水可能带来不利影响；偏枯年出现的概率最大，偏丰年次之，丰水年最小；渭河流域连续少水2～3年不仅发生频率较高，而且干旱强度也较大。同时根据降水和同期气温、天然径流量资料建立了适用于渭河流域的S干旱指数。     

1961—2010年云南干湿气候变化

利用15个站点1961—2010年日照时数、降水量和平均温度等气候资料,计算云南5个区域各季节相对湿润度指数,分析云南干湿气候变化特征。结果表明,相对湿润度指数可定量、准确地表达云南各区域自然气候干湿程度,能客观反映云南干湿气候的波动变化和区域性差别。20世纪90年代中期以来,云南干季、雨季潜在蒸散量呈增大变化趋势,同期降水量有减小的趋势变化,从而在气候变暖背景下引发云南气候的干旱化趋势。干季各地相对湿润度指数年际波动变化大,年代际差异明显;雨季各地干湿状况年际波动相对较小,且呈现明显的周期性波动变化趋势。云南5个区域的干湿气候变化既有一致性也有差异性：滇中和滇西南比较一致,滇西北与滇东南差异明显,滇西北与滇东北雨季差异突出、干季较为相似。     

Combining the standardized precipitation index and climatic water deficit in characterizing droughts: a case study in Romania

This paper characterizes droughts in Romania using the approach of both the standardized precipitation index (SPI) and climatic water deficit (WD). The values of the main climatic factors (rainfall, temperature, reference evapotranspiration, etc.) were obtained from 192 weather stations in various regions of Romania. Penman–Monteith reference evapotranspiration (ET_o-PM) was used to calculate WD as the difference between precipitation (P) and ET_o-PM. SPI was calculated from precipitation values. There is a clear difference between drought and aridity. Drought occurrence determines higher WD values for plains and plateaus and lower climatic excess water (EW) values for high mountains in Romania, depending on the aridity of the specific region considered and drought severity. WD calculated as mean values for both normal conditions and, for all locations studied, various types of drought was correlated with mean annual precipitation and temperature, respectively. The combined approach of WD and SPI was mainly carried out for periods of 1 year, but such studies could also be done for shorter periods like months, quarters, or growing season. The most arid regions did not necessarily coincide with areas of the most severe drought, as there were no correlations between WD and SPI and no altitude-based SPI zones around the Carpathian Mountains, as is the case for other climate characteristics, soils and vegetation. Water resource problems arise where both SPI values characterize extremely droughty periods and WD values are greatly below ?200 mm/year. This combined use of SPI and WD characterizes the dryness of a region better than one factor alone and should be used for better management of water in agriculture in Romania and also other countries with similar climate characteristics.     

西藏高原汛期降水类型的研究

利用西藏高原２６个测站２６年（１９７３￣１９９８年）汛期（５￣９月）降水量资料,采用主成分分析和旋转主成分分析方法,对高原汛期降水空间分布型进行了分析。结果表明,主成分分解得到的降水空间分布形式较为集中,前３个特征向量场的分布型具有十分明确的物理意义,可表示降水场部方差的６３．１４％。旋转主成分分解生前６个载荷向量的累积方差贡献达７６．６７％,可较好反映西藏高原汛期降水６个异常敏感区：东南部、东北     

Questions relative to ITCZ migrations over the tropical Atlantic ocean,sea surface temperature and Senegal River runoff

Summary The ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone) is an important parameter for climatic studies in tropical areas, and meteorological satellite imagery provides an original way to follow its location. Using archive imagery covering the 1971–1987 period, we attempted to study further some of the relationships (suggested by former studies) between ITCZ locations (followed here over the Atlantic ocean at 28°W), and climate anomalies in the Sahel, an area affected by periodic drought for the last seventeen years. We also paid close attention to more frequently studied parameters, such as upper air data, wind at sea level, and sea surface temperature. As for relative drought estimates, we assumed that runoff from the Senegal River was representative of the sahelian area and we observed that its variations were consistent with the Lamb's rainfall index over the 1965–1987 period.Since the onset of the rainy season for West Africa responds to wind changes, we assessed the link between ITCZ and wind at sea level and found the timing of northward ITCZ migration to be highly correlated (r=0.84) with the date of zonal wind stress intensification.On a general point of view, the relationships we found between rainfall amount and ITCZ position anomalies (or SST anomalies) agree with known results of precedent works, though better fit is found with the seventies than the eighties. We think this discrepancy is due in part to the fact that the parameters studied were not identical and, perhaps to a possible change in climatic conditions (on a long term basis, the data show a continuous trend for less intense equatorial upwelling in the gulf of Guinea, and our time series covers a more recent period than referenced works).With a closer look on the first half of the year, it appears that typical (wet/dry) schemes of the ITCZ migration can be evidenced more clearly, than in reporting the northernmost ITCZ location, that we found to be a less significant index: in other words, a sooner (respectively later) northward ITCZ migration corresponds to dry (respectively wet) episodes during the rainy season in sahelian areas. Hence, we propose the speed of ITCZ northwards movement as a parameterization of this event.Moisture content of the lower troposphere revealed that steady anomalies of this parameter may last several years over sahelian areas. Taking into consideration the relative strength African tropical and easterly jets, some limited results were obtained, in regard of climatic anomalies.As first conclusions, moisture transportation over sahelian area (associated with larger negative SST anomalies) is more efficient for wetter rainy season, than the intensity of convective process linked to higher local SST in the equatorial Atlantic area. In joining moisture analysis and ITZ migration (1980–1987 period), wetter rainy seasons were observed each time that positive humidity anomalies coincided with a later northward ITCZ migration (or greater northward ITCZ speed).With 8 Figures     

Estimation of the monthly precipitation predictability limit in China using the nonlinear local Lyapunov exponent

By using the nonlinear local Lyapunov exponent and nonlinear error growth dynamics, the predictability limit of monthly precipitation is quantitatively estimated based on daily observations collected from approximately 500 stations in China for the period 1960–2012. As daily precipitation data are not continuous in space and time, a transformation is first applied and a monthly standardized precipitation index (SPI) with Gaussian distribution is constructed. The monthly SPI predictability limit (MSPL) is quantitatively calculated for SPI dry, wet, and neutral phases. The results show that the annual mean MSPL varies regionally for both wet and dry phases: the MSPL in the wet (dry) phase is relatively higher (lower) in southern China than in other regions. Further, the pattern of the MSPL for the wet phase is almost opposite to that for the dry phase in both autumn and winter. The MSPL in the dry phase is higher in winter and lower in spring and autumn in southern China, while the MSPL values in the wet phase are higher in summer and winter than those in spring and autumn in southern China. The spatial distribution of the MSPL resembles that of the prediction skill of monthly precipitation from a dynamic extended-range forecast system.     

Spatiotemporal trends of aridity index in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran

The spatiotemporal trends of aridity index in the arid and semi-arid regions of Iran in 1966–2005 were investigated using the Mann–Kendall test and Theil–Sen’s slope estimator. The results of the analysis showed negative trends in annual aridity index at 55 % of the stations, while just one site had a statistically significant (α?=?0.1) negative trend. Furthermore, the positive trends in the annual aridity index series were significant at the 95 % confidence level at Bushehr and Isfahan stations. The significant negative trend in the annual aridity index was obtained over Mashhad at the rate of ?0.004. In the seasonal series, the negative trends in the spring and winter aridity index were larger compared with those in the other seasonal series. A noticeable decrease in the winter aridity index series was observed mostly in the southeast of the study area. In the summer and autumn aridity index, two significant positive trends were found.     

Copula-based risk evaluation of droughts across the Pearl River basin, China

Daily precipitation data for the period of 1960–2005 from 42 precipitation gauging stations in the Pearl River basin were analyzed using the Mann–Kendall trend test and copula functions. The standardized precipitation index method was used to define drought episodes. Primary and secondary return periods were also analyzed to evaluate drought risks in the Pearl River basin as a whole. Results indicated that: (1) in general, the drought tendency was not significant at a 95 % confidence level. However, significant drought trends could be found in November, December, and January and significant wetting trends in June and July. The drought severity and drought durations were not significant at most of the precipitation stations across the Pearl River basin; (2) in terms of drought risk, higher drought risk could be observed in the lower Pearl River basin and lower drought risk in the upper Pearl River basin. Higher risk of droughts of longer durations was always corresponding to the higher risk of droughts with higher drought severity, which poses an increasing challenge for drought management and water resources management. When drought episodes with higher drought severity occurred in the Pearl River basin, the regions covered by higher risk of drought events were larger, which may challenge the water supply in the lower Pearl River basin. As for secondary return periods, results of this study indicated that secondary return periods might provide a more robust evaluation of drought risk. This study should be of merit for water resources management in the Pearl River basin, particularly the lower Pearl River basin, and can also act as a case study for determining regional response to drought changes as a result of global climate changes.     

Links between rainfall variability on intraseasonal and interannual scales over western Tanzania and regional circulation and SST patterns

Summary This study investigates the circulation anomalies associated with the intraseasonal evolution of wet and dry years over western Tanzania (29–37° E, 11.5–4.75° S) and how the onset and withdrawal of the rainy season as well as its wet spell characteristics are modified. It is found that for wet years, the rains begin earlier and end later, with strong wet spells occurring during the season, and there tend to be a greater number of moderate wet spells (although not necessarily more intense wet spells) than in dry years. In dry years, late onset and early cessation of the rainy season occur, often with an extended dry spell soon after the onset, and there tend to be a greater number of dry spells within the season. Large negative outgoing long wave radiation (OLR) anomaly values tend to be located between 20° and 40° E with anomalous westerly flow at 850 hPa occurring across the continent from 10° E to the tropical western Indian Ocean during wet spells in the anomalously wet seasons. Anomalously dry seasons are characterised by large positive OLR anomalies over 30–50° E as well as easterly anomalies at 850 hPa and westerly anomalies at 200 hPa. Eastward propagating intraseasonal anomalies are slower during the wet years implying that the convection remains over Tanzania longer. On the intraseasonal scale, Hovmoeller analyses of OLR and 850 and 200 hPa zonal wind indicate that convection over western Tanzania may be associated with a flux of moisture from the tropical southeast Atlantic and Congo basin followed by weak easterlies from the tropical western Indian Ocean.On interannual scales, wet (dry) years are characterized over the Indian Ocean by weaker (stronger) equatorial westerlies and weaker (stronger) trades that lead to less (more) export of equatorial moisture away from East Africa and increased (decreased) low-level moisture flux convergence over southern Tanzania, respectively. These anomalies arise from an anticyclonic (cyclonic) anomaly over the tropical western Indian Ocean during wet (dry) austral summers that may be related to cool (warm) SST anomalies there. Large scale modulation of the Indian Ocean Walker cell is also evident in both cases, but particularly for the dry years.Current affiliation: Tanzania Meteorological Agency, P.O. Box 3056, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania     

基于拉格朗日法的水汽输送气候特征分析——江淮梅雨和淮北雨季的对比

利用基于拉格朗日方法的轨迹模式（HYSPLIT_4.9）,结合海量气块追踪分析法,对比了江淮梅雨和淮北雨季平均水汽输送特征,从水汽来源及源地贡献方面探讨二者的相对独立性,对比两雨季降水异常年水汽输送特征。结果表明,气候态上,江淮梅雨的水汽输送主要来自印度洋、太平洋、孟湾—南海,其中来自印度洋的水汽输送贡献最大,超过50%;淮北雨季来自印度洋、欧亚大陆、孟湾—南海、太平洋的水汽贡献差异不大,但与江淮梅雨的水汽源地对比,淮北雨季来自印度洋的水汽输送贡献少20%,而欧亚大陆偏多19%。对比降水异常年发现,来自印度洋、孟湾—南海以及欧亚大陆水汽贡献的变化对江淮梅雨和淮北雨季降水异常有重要影响。江淮梅雨偏多年,印度洋的水汽输送贡献比梅雨偏少年减少17%,孟湾—南海则增加了11%。在淮北雨季偏多年,印度洋的水汽输送贡献比偏少年多19%,孟湾—南海和欧亚大陆的水汽输送则分别减少6%和17%。     

Precipitation changes in wet and dry seasons over the 20th century simulated by two versions of the FGOALS model

Seasonal precipitation changes over the globe during the 20 th century simulated by two versions of the Flexible Global Ocean–Atmosphere–Land System(FGOALS) model are assessed. The two model versions differ in terms of their AGCM component, but the remaining parts of the system are almost identical. Both models reasonably reproduce the mean-state features of the timings of the wet and dry seasons and related precipitation amounts, with pattern correlation coefficients of 0.65–0.84 with observations. Globally averaged seasonal precipitation changes are analyzed. The results show that wet seasons get wetter and the annual range(precipitation difference between wet and dry seasons) increases during the 20 th century in the two models, with positive trends covering most parts of the globe, which is consistent with observations. However,both models show a moistening dry season, which is opposite to observations. Analysis of the globally averaged moisture budget in the historical climate simulations of the two models shows little change in the horizontal moisture advection in both the wet and dry seasons. The globally averaged seasonal precipitation changes are mainly dominated by the changes in evaporation and vertical moisture advection. Evaporation and vertical moisture advection combine to make wet seasons wetter and enhance the annual range. In the dry season, the opposite change of evaporation and vertical moisture advection leads to an insignificant change in precipitation. Vertical moisture advection is the most important term that determines the changes in precipitation, wherein the thermodynamic component is dominant and the dynamic component tends to offset the effect of the thermodynamic component.     

Identification of historic shifts in daily rainfall regime,Wenchi, Ghana

The characteristics of rainfall regime and its variability in the sub-humid region of mid-Ghana is analyzed using daily rainfall data from the Wenchi, 1950–2000. Prior research in the area, suggests that climatic variability occurs at lower frequencies than the typical ENSO signal and may be more closely related to noted shifts in global climatic patterns. Fifty-six possible starting dates encompassing the traditional growing season, extending from late January to early November, at 5 day increments, are used to define temporal units of varying lengths, variable temporal units (VTUs). Rainfall characteristics in each unit are described by two variables: total rainfall and number of rainy days. Given the widely noted global climatic shift in the 1970s and the results of regional analyses, the 50 year record is sub-divided into two 20 year periods, 1950–1969 (period 1) and 1980–2000 (period 2). The means and variances of the two variables in each VTU are compared to identify any times when the changes in rainfall characteristics are most noticeable within the rainfall regime between periods. Both variables yield results consistent with the main rainy season and the long dry season being relatively unchanged, however the short dry spell is becoming wetter and the minor rainy season (September/October) has become significantly drier and shorter. The observations are consistent with the general north–south erosion of the bi-modal regime in West African which is associated with the southward shift of the ITCZ and the monsoonal system. This phenomenon is believed to be ongoing for the last 10,000 years in step with the hypothesized shift of the perihelion into the boreal winter. The use of independent arbitrary starting dates and durations (VTU) advances the understanding of temporal variability of rainfall, at a scale appropriate to agricultural practices in the study area.     

Spatial and temporal changes in aridity index in northwest China: 1960 to 2010

Northwest China is the driest region in China and the regional climate fluctuated dramatically during the last century. Aridity index, as the ratio between potential evapotranspiration and precipitation, is a good indicator to represent regional climate character. In this study, the change and attribution of the aridity index was investigated in northwest China using the observed climate data from 80 national meteorological stations during 1960–2010. The spatial and temporal variabilities of the aridity index shows that the annual aridity index decreased significantly (P?<?0.05) by 0.048 year^?1, indicating that northwest China became wetter from 1960 to 2010. A differentiation equation method was used to attribute the change in aridity index to climate variables. The results indicate that the aridity index was most sensitive to the change in precipitation, followed by vapor pressure, solar radiation, wind speed, and air temperature. Increase in air temperature should have led to an increase in aridity index, but this effect had been offset by the increase in precipitation and vapor pressure and the decrease in wind speed. Increasing precipitation, which contributed 91.7 % of the decrease in the aridity index, was the dominant factor to the decrease in the aridity index in northwest China from 1960 to 2010.     

Long-term rainfall characteristics in the Mzingwane catchment of south-western Zimbabwe

Rainfall characteristics during the annual rainy season are explored for the Mzingwane catchment of south-western Zimbabwe, for both historic period (1886–1906) and more recent times (1950–2015), based on available daily and monthly precipitation series. Annual and seasonal rainfall trends are determined using the modified Mann-Kendall test, magnitude of trends test and Sen’s slope estimator. Rainfall variability is quantified using the coefficient of variation (CV), precipitation concentration index (PCI) and standard precipitation index (SPI). Results suggest that contemporary mean annual rainfall may not have changed from that measured during the historic period of 1886–1906. However, the number of rainy days (≥ 1 mm) has decreased by 34%, thus suggesting much more concentrated and increased rainfall intensity. A notable shift in both the onset and cessation dates of the rainy season is recorded, particularly during the twenty-first century, which has resulted in a significantly reduced (p < 0.05) length of the rainy season. The combination of a reduced number of rainy days (≥ 1 mm) and a shortened rainy season suggests that long intra-season dry spells have become more common through time and have considerable negative consequences for agriculture and wetland ecosystem in the region. In addition, high spatio-temporal rainfall variability and seasonal PCI values indicate strong seasonality in the rainy season. Based on the SPI results, the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) strongly influences rainfall variability. The results further suggest high uncertainty in rain season characteristics, which requires effective planning for water needs.     

Spatiotemporal distribution of aridity indices based on temperature and precipitation in the extra-Carpathian regions of Romania

In the last decades, droughts are a recurrent phenomena in many regions of the world, especially in the subtropics and mid-latitudes, affecting more and more the society. Aridity indices are often used to identify regions prone to that phenomenon. In this paper, we used data recorded in 30 locations in the extra-Carpathian areas of Romania over the period 1961–2007. The De Martonne aridity index (I _DM) and the Pinna combinative index (I _P) were employed in order to identify critical areas in the most important agricultural regions of the country. Monthly, seasonal, annual, and winter wheat and maize growing season datasets of I _DM and annual values of I _P were calculated. The trends were identified using the Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope, while ordinary Kriging technique was employed for interpolation. The main findings are that the most vulnerable to semi-aridity are the southeastern regions, especially during the warm period of the year, and that for Romania, the use of I _DM is more appropriate compared to I _P.     

The influence of the land surface on the transition from dry to wet season in Amazonia

Summary Analysis of the fifteen years of European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis suggests that the transition from dry to wet season in Southern Amazonia is initially driven by increases of surface latent heat flux. These fluxes rapidly reduce Convective Inhibition Energy (CINE) and increase Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), consequently providing favourable conditions for increased rainfall even before the large-scale circulation has changed. The increase of rainfall presumably initiates the reversal of the cross-equatorial flow, leading to large-scale net moisture convergence over Southern Amazonia. An analysis of early and late wet season onsets on an interannual scale shows that a longer dry season with lower rainfall reduces surface latent heat flux in the dry and earlier transition periods compared to that of a normal wet season onset. These conditions result in a higher CINE and a lower CAPE, causing a delay in the increase of local rainfall in the initiating phase of the transition and consequently in the wet season onset. Conversely, a wetter dry season leads to a higher surface latent heat flux and weaker CINE, providing a necessary condition for an earlier increase of local rainfall and an earlier wet season onset. Our results imply that if land use change in Amazonia reduces rainfall during dry and transition seasons, it could significantly delay the wet season onset and prolong the dry season.     

长江中下游地区冬夏干湿韵律特征分析

通过分析中国160站1952—2013年的月平均降水观测资料,揭示了长江中下游地区冬季和夏季降水间存在显著的韵律现象,即当该地区冬季降水异常偏少(偏多)时,次年夏季降水也趋于异常偏少(偏多),这里称之为干(湿)韵律现象。对干、湿韵律年大气环流背景的分析结果显示,干韵律年和湿韵律年对应的环流形势基本相反:在干(湿)韵律年冬季,东亚地区500 hPa位势高度距平呈现西高东低(东高西低)的分布型,中国南方东部主要受偏北(南)风异常控制,这不利(有利)于低纬度暖湿气流向长江中下游地区输送,导致该地区冬季降水异常偏少(多);在次年夏季,西北太平洋副热带高压异常偏弱(强),不利(有利)于西南暖湿气流向中国东部地区输送,使得长江中下游地区夏季降水也异常偏少(多)。研究进一步指出,长江中下游地区的冬夏干、湿韵律现象与东亚冬夏季风活动的强度密切相关。干、湿韵律现象多在东亚冬夏季风强度变化一致的情况下出现:冬、夏季风一致偏强时多导致干韵律现象,而一致偏弱时易导致湿韵律现象。     

Aridity in Vojvodina, Serbia

For investigating aridity in Vojvodina, two parameters were used: the De Martonne aridity index and the Pinna combinative index. These indices were chosen as the most suitable for the analysis of climate in Vojvodina (a region in northern part of Serbia). Also, these indices were calculated from data obtained from 10 meteorological stations for the period from 1949 to 2006. The spatial distribution of the annual and seasonal De Martonne and the Pinna combinative indices as well as the mean monthly values of the De Martonne index and aridity trends of these indices are presented. There were two, four, and five types of climate on a yearly, seasonal, and monthly basis in Vojvodina, according to the De Martonne climate classification which consists of a total of seven types. In addition, semi-humid and humid climate types were represented in the region, on a yearly basis. The winter season was dominated by wetter types of climate, while the summer season was characterized by drier ones. During the spring and autumn seasons, there were types of climate which range between both aforementioned types. Two out of three climate types, which can be identified using the Pinna combinative index, were registered in Vojvodina region. The most dominant climate type was the semidry Mediterranean with formal Mediterranean vegetation, while the humid type was only identified in one small part of southwestern Vojvodina. The calculated values of both aridity indices showed that there were no annual trends. Therefore, it can be considered that there were no recent aridity changes during the observed period. For paleoclimate, the general story is more complex. The lack of aridity trends in the recent period from 1949 to 2006 supports the fact that Vojvodina has very well preserved loess–palaeosol sequences from the Middle and Late Pleistocene, which indicates that crucial point for their preservation was caused by the weak aridity variability in the region.