Temperature and precipitation trends in Minqin Desert during the period of 1961-2007

Abstract

This paper analyzed the data of temperature and precipitation in Minqin, typical desert area in northwest China, during the period of 1961−2007 by linear regression. The result indicated that the increasing rate of the mean annual temperature in Minqin was higher than that of the average of China; and the temperature in February increased by 3.01oC averagely in the past 47 years. The climate in Minqin displayed an evident warming trend. However, there was no evidently increasing trend of precipitation in the past 47 years, and drought occurred during the whole growing season.