China has a marked continental
monsoonal climate characterized by great variety. Northerly winds
prevail in winter, while southerly winds reign in summer. The four
seasons are quite distinct. The rainy season coincides with the hot
season. From September to April the following year, the dry and cold
winter monsoons from Siberia and Mongolia in the north gradually
become weak as they reach the southern part of the country,
resulting in cold and dry winters and great differences in
temperature. The summer monsoons last from April to September.
The warm and moist summer monsoons from the oceans bring abundant
rainfall and high temperatures, with little difference in
temperature between the south and the north. China's complex and
varied climate results in a great variety of temperature belts, and
dry and moist zones. In terms of temperature, the nation can be
sectored from south to north into equatorial, tropical,
sub-tropical, warm-temperate, temperate, and cold-temperate zones;
in terms of moisture, it can be sectored from southeast to northwest
into humid (32 percent of land area), semi-humid (15 percent),
semi-arid (22 percent) and arid zones (31 percent). |
Western
China
