Temperature variations evidenced by records on the latest spring snowing dates in Hangzhou of eastern China during 1131–1270AD

We collected and verified documentary records of the latest spring snowing dates(LSSD) in Hangzhou during Southern Song Dynasty. Furtherly, the statistical correlation between this proxy and February–April mean temperature in Hangzhou was examined, and samples later than the perennial mean of the LSSD during Southern Song Dynasty were transformed into the decadal mean of LSSD by means of Boltzmann function. General characteristics of this reconstructed LSSD series with a 10-year temporal resolution was analyzed, and it was also compared with other documentary evidences and reconstructed climate series in China for the period 1131–1270. The results and discussion suggested that:(1) Records of the LSSD in Hangzhou during Southern Song Dynasty did not refer to ice pellets and graupels, which had an explicit climate significance(–0.34℃/10 d, R2=0.37, p0.001). However, when this proxy is used to reconstruct temperature changes, all dates should be converted into proleptic Gregorian style and meet the same criterion of "true Qi" as the Chinese traditional calendar after 1929.(2) The decadal mean of LSSD can be effectively estimated by using the forefront of LSSD in the decade on the basis of Boltzmann function, whose extrapolation has a lesser uncertainty than those on the basis of linear models or polynomial models.(3) The spring climate in Hangzhou during 1131–1270 was almost as warm as the period 1951–1980. At the centennial scale, this period can be divided into two phases: the cold 1131–1170 and the warm 1171–1270. In the latter, 1181–1200 and 1221–1240 were two cold intervals at the multi-decadal scale.(4) The reconstructed LSSD series was consistent well with other documentary evidences and reconstructed climate series in China for 1131–1270, which may reflect the influence on the climate over most regions of China imposed by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO).     

清代华北地区冬半年温度变化重建与分析

利用清代地方志中的异常初、终霜记载,根据器测时期华北初、终霜的早、晚与温度变化的关系,重建了1646-1910 年华北地区时间分辨率为5 年的冬半年温度距平序列,分析了期间的冷暖变化特征.结果表明：清代华北地区气候以寒冷为主要特征,冬半年温度平均较现代(1951-1980 年)约低0.55℃,最冷5 年(1656-1660 年)较现代约低1.42℃;清代华北地区冬半年气候存在“冷-暖-冷”的世纪波动,两个寒冷时段起讫时间分别为1646-1700 年(平均较现代约低0.77℃)和1781-1910 年(平均较现代约低0.58℃),1701-1780 年虽然相对较暖,但冬半年温度仍较现代略低(平均较现代约低0.36℃);从更高时间分辨率看,清代冷暖时段内同样存在较小的波动,清后期寒冷时段出现了两个“冷谷”.