Circulation and representativeness of precipitation and air temperature in the southeast of the Quinghai-Xizang Plateau

Based on time series of 98 stations from the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, the Indo-Gagnetic Plains, the River Gorge Country and Eastern China, the representativeness of the locally observed interannual variations of temperature and precipitation was analyzed by a statistical method. After an overview, which regards the main circulation patterns as well as the spatial distribution of temperature and precipitation in winter (January) and summer (July), the monthly distribution of the representativeness is discussed in a climato-genetic context. The monthly temperature representativeness is characterized by strong spatial and seasonal contrasts. The values range from less than 200 km in the basins and valley bottoms of NW Sichuan, caused by local summer circulation patterns, and more than 1600 km in the lower areas of E China, affected by the far reaching influence of the winter monsoonal surges of cold continental airmasses. With only a few exceptions mainly occurring in December, the precipitation representativeness does not exceed a 300 km limit. Due to the comparatively modest spatial disparities — except December when a steep rise, greater than 600 km occurs in the upper Tsangpo valley and adjacent areas — it can only be concluded, that a tendency of higher (lower) representativeness is predominantly related to advective (convective) regimes.