Climate Change Chart of Gaochang (Gobi Desert), China

Overview of climate changes

Changes in rainfall

Mean daily rainfall averaged across calendar months had a difference of -1.10 mm/day in the more recent period, an unweighted comparison of monthly means rather than a change in monthly totals. The largest monthly decrease was in August, with a difference of -4.53 mm/day, while the largest monthly increase occurred in October, at +0.55 mm/day. These contrasts show why the mean difference should not be read as a description of every month: the month with the largest increase moved in the opposite direction from the overall mean.

Temperature changes

Averaged across calendar months, monthly mean temperature shows a difference of +0.75 °C compared with the earlier reference period; this is an unweighted comparison of monthly means, not a day-weighted annual average or a measure of daytime maximum temperatures. The largest monthly increase was in March, with a difference of +2.48 °C. By contrast, July had the largest monthly decrease, a difference of -0.20 °C. These month-specific differences sit alongside the overall mean difference and do not imply that every month changed in the same direction.

Changes in sunshine duration

Mean daily sunshine duration averaged across calendar months had a difference of -0.17 hours/day compared with the earlier reference period; this unweighted mean of monthly values is not a day-weighted annual average. The largest monthly decrease was in October, with a difference of -1.04 hours/day. In contrast, August recorded the largest monthly increase, at +0.67 hours/day. Thus, the overall mean difference does not describe the direction of change in every individual month.

Changes in snowfall

The unweighted mean of mean daily snowfall across calendar months was unchanged at the displayed precision, with a difference of 0.00 mm/day; this rounded result does not establish that snowfall was unchanged beyond that precision. Monthly differences varied: November had the largest increase, a difference of +0.77 mm/day, while March had the largest decrease, at -0.70 mm/day. These are differences in mean daily amounts, not monthly snowfall totals, and the opposing monthly changes help explain why the rounded mean difference can appear unchanged.