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Separating existing historical precipitation data into solid and liquid precipitation remains a challenge in the study of climate change, extreme precipitation, and hydrological modelling. Based on historical daily air temperature and precipitation data, as well as visual observations of precipitation phase (weather phenomena records) in China mainland, this study proposed a snow‐day direct definition method (SDDM) to determine the threshold air temperature (TAT) of rainfall and snowfall, and analysed the spatial pattern and its influential factors. The main findings include: (1) the TAT based on the SDDM varied from −1.2 to 6.3°C, with a mean value of 2.8°C for the entire study region; (2) TAT was generally higher and more variable in the low‐latitude areas, and the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau was characterized by an abnormally high average TAT of 5.2°C, almost twice as large as that of the eastern monsoon region; (3) TAT exhibited a significant positive correlation with altitude and negative correlation with precipitation and relative humidity. The results presented in this paper have potential application for studies of large‐scale snowfall climatology and climate change, weather forecasting techniques, and hydrological model parameterization in areas with complex and diverse geographical and climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Xinhai revolution, China faced contending domestic identities, and its roles within the international order were assigned by external powers. In the 100 years that have followed, China's internal competing identities have become more stable and it now faces major challenges in reconciling its contending international identities. China's current ascendency returns it to a position of directing the international order, which resembles its position before the Xinhai revolution. As China changes international identities and gradually moves from being a developing state to a great power, it creates uncertainty among other states. In order for China's rise to continue, it needs to prevent this uncertainty from becoming conflict: it needs a stable international environment. This paper argues that by adopting a view of China's rise as a series of shifts in its identity, the scepter of conflict can be reduced because the uncertainty that is being created can be understood as well as contribute understanding about international behavior. This paper looks at the roles and identities displayed by China at the UN Climate Change conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last few years have seen a surge of scholarly interest in how cultures have been influenced by climate, climatic changes, and extremes of weather. This "cultural turn" of climate history draws from the archives of society, rather than the archives of nature, and is heavily influenced by interpretative and methodological frameworks drawn from the humanities fields. Attention has been largely focused on European contexts and cultures. This article aims to show, however, that the climate history of Asia is on the cusp of developing its own strong cultural turn and that strong foundations and precedents have already been set. This article has two main objectives. The first is to explore approaches in the history of the climate in East Asia that claim to investigate interactions between climatic changes or extreme events and society and culture. Many of these are macro studies, comparing climatic changes with dramatic events in history. Then, it will take a closer look at scholarship that has focused closely on the ideas and beliefs that characterize a society, showing how regional customs and philosophical systems have developed in relation to weather. It will argue that better integration between the two approaches is needed if we are to fully grasp the interdependence of people and climate, a question that becomes ever more critical as we move further into the Anthropocene. This article is categorized under:Climate, History, Society, Culture > World Historical Perspectives [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate model response (M) and greenhouse gas emissions (S) uncertainties are consistently estimated as spreads of multi‐model and multi‐scenario climate change projections. There has been less agreement in estimating internal climate variability (V). In recent years, an initial condition ensemble (ICE) of a climate model has been developed to study V. ICE is simulated by running a climate model using an identical climate forcing but different initial conditions. Inter‐member differences of an ICE manifestly represent V. However, ICE has been barely used to investigate relative importance of climate change uncertainties. Accordingly, this study proposes a method of using ICEs, without assuming V as constant, for investigating the relative importance of climate change uncertainties and its temporal–spatial variation. Prior to investigating temporal–spatial variation in China, V estimated using ICE was compared to that using multi‐model individual time series at national scale. Results show that V using ICE is qualitatively similar to that using multi‐model individual time series for temperature. However, V is not constant for average and extreme precipitations. V and M dominate before 2050s especially for precipitation. S is dominant in the late 21st century especially for temperature. Mean temperature change is projected to be 30–70% greater than its uncertainty until 2050s, while uncertainty becomes 10–40% greater than the change in the late 21st century. Precipitation change uncertainty overwhelms its change by 70–150% throughout 21st century. Cold regions (e.g., northern China and Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau) tend to have greater temperature change uncertainties. In dry regions (e.g., northwest China), all three uncertainties tend to be great for changes in average and extreme precipitations. This study emphasizes the importance of considering climate change uncertainty in impact studies, especially taking into account that V is irreducible in the future. Using ICEs without assuming V as constant is an appropriate approach to study climate change uncertainty. Using initial condition ensembles without assuming internal variability as constant is an appropriate approach to study climate change uncertainties. Changes in internal variabilities of average and extreme precipitations are significant. Temperature change is greater than its uncertainty first, then the other way round. Precipitation change is less than its uncertainty in this century. Cold regions have great temperature change uncertainties, while dry regions have great precipitation change uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Extreme climate events over China at the end of the 21st century (2080-2099) are investigated using the regional climate model RegCM4. Model performance is validated through comparison between observations and simulations over the period 1985-2005. The results show that RegCM4 can satisfactorily reproduce the spatial distribution of extreme climate events over China. The model simulates temperature extremes more accurately than precipitation. Under the RCP8.5 (high emission) scenario, the number of frost days decreases, and both the heat wave duration index and the growing season length increase dramatically towards the end of the 21st century. Changes in extreme temperature become increasingly pronounced from South to North China, with the most significant changes occurring on the Tibetan Plateau ( TP). The proportion of heavy precipitation generally increases, except on the southern TP. The number of very heavy precipitation days increases by 25-50% in Northwest and East China. In winter, the number of consecutive dry days ( CDD) decreases in North China and increases in South China. The greatest increases in CDD are found in June, July and August ( JJA) in Southwest China. In a future that follows this scenario, drought events may be aggravated in Southwest China, and decrease in North China. In contrast, when repeating these projections under the assumption of the RCP4.5 scenario for emissions, the frequency of extreme climate events is reduced. These results suggest that reductions in greenhouse gas emissions may mitigate the effects of climate change over the coming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]