China’s Climate

Climate

China is situated between the world’s largest land mass (Eurasia) and the world’s largest ocean (Pacific Ocean), and its climate reflects the pull-and-tug of the dominant air masses of these areas. From Siberia comes cold, dry air flowing from the north, northeast, and northwest, while tropical air masses from the Pacific bring moist air from the south and southwest. China’s topography can in some cases block the movement of the winds carrying these air masses. Notably, the Qin Ling (Tsinling Mountains) block the south-and southwestward advance of the northern air masses during winter, helping to keep South China, particularly the western portions, significantly warmer than North China.

During late spring and summer, moist winds from the southwest bring the summer monsoons. During this time, the Siberian high-pressure system gradually retreats to the north, and as it does, the frontal boundary between the tropical and continental air masses shifts with it, bringing increasing rain to the northern areas. Overall, annual precipitation in China tends to decrease as one moves from the southeast to the northwest, although high mountains or low basins may show anomalous patterns.

Temperature trends in China generally follow a north-to-south pattern, with average temperatures increasing and annual temperature ranges decreasing as one moves south

As with precipitation, elevation is the other major component of temperature, with higher areas usually having more extreme diurnal patterns and longer winters.