Yangtze River Weather

Yangtze River Weather – Temperature

The temperature in Yangtze River is influenced by the solar radiation energy, atmospheric circulation in Eastern, the terrain of Qinghai Tibet plateau and North pacific and the different terrain in different areas.

The average temperature of the whole year in Yangtze River is distributed high in east and south, low in west and north; temperature in midstream and downstream is higher than in upstream; the south bank is higher than the north bank; and the lowest temperature in Headwater area. As the special terrain in Yangtze River basin, there formed the Sichuan Basin, Yunnan-Kweichow plateau and Jingsha River valley enclosed high and low temperature center.

The average temperature of the whole year in midstream and downstream is between 16℃ and 18℃. The average temperature in Hunan, Gannan and the north of Nanling is the highest, over 18℃; Yangtze River Delta and the midstream and downstream of Hanjiang is about 16℃; the upstream of Hanjiang is about 14℃; Sichuan Basin which is an enclosed high temperature center is between 16℃ and 18℃; the area between Chongqing and Wanxian county is over 18℃; the west of Yunnan-Kweichow plateau is reached 20℃ and the east part is below 12℃;the area between Maitong and Daocheng which is the low temperature center just 4℃;Headwater area is about 4℃ below zero.

Yangtze River Weather – Precipitation

The average annual precipitation in Yangtze River basin is about 1067㎜. Yangtze River Basin, with varied topography, is vast in territory, and monsoon climate is very typical in the area that the annual precipitation and rainstorm is nonuniform distributed.

Yangtze River Weather – Evaporation, Drought Index and Humidity Level

Evaporation

The runoff of Yangtze River is supplied by the hydrometeor, and more than half of the hydrometeor was evaporated. So, Evaporation capacity is one of the most important factors to control the basin accounting. Yangtze River Basin annual water surface evaporation reached 922㎜, and annual land evaporation is 541㎜, which is the 51 percentage of the annual precipitation.

Drought Index

Yangtze River average drought index is 0.86. Drought index is the ratio of actual water vapor pressure in atmosphere and saturation vapor pressure under the temperature. It was used to show the dry and moist degree of atmosphere in percentage form.

Humidity Level

The relatively humidity level is influenced by the temperature and the moist level of underlying surface. The division of rainy season and dry season in Yangtze River Basin is distinct. But the annual humidity level is high, except in the Jingsha River Watershed, for its numerous anabranches and sufficient evaporation. The highest and lowest humidity level in every area is different. Such as the highest relatively humidity level in most of Sichuan Basin and Three Gorges area is in autumn and winter, the lowest humidity level is in spring. But the highest relatively humidity level in West of Sichuan and Hengduan Mountain is in summer. The highest relatively humidity level in Yunnan-Kweichow plateau, midstream and downstream of Yangtze River and Hubei and Hunan District is in summer, the lowest in winter and early spring.

The beautiful scenery is attributed to the special weather in Yangtze River, and the development of Yangtze Cruise is attributed to the beautiful scenery.