Daily maximum temperatures from 753 stations across China and the heat wave indicators are used to study the temporal and spatial characteristics of heat wave intensity, frequency and heat wave days in China over the period of1961–2010. The results show that high frequency, long duration and strong intensity of heat waves occurred in the Jianghuai area, Jiangnan area, and eastern Sichuan Basin. The highest frequency and the longest duration are located in northern Jiangxi and northern Zhejiang provinces, and the highest intensity in northern Zhejiang province is even more prominent. The frequency, heat wave days and intensity showed a general increasing trend in the past 50 years, while decadal characteristics are also observed with a decreasing trend from the 1960 s to the early 1980 s and increasing trend from the end of the 1980 s to 2010. The regional variations demonstrate a significant increasing trend in the northern and western parts of North China, central-northern part of Northwest China, the central part of South China, the Yangtze River Delta and the southern Sichuan Basin, with an obvious decreasing trend in the southern Huanghuai area, northern Jianghuai area and Hanjiang River Basin.
YE Dian-XiuYIN Ji-FuCHEN Zheng-HongZHENG You-FeiWU Rong-Jun
