Climate of region
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Climate of Various Regions: A Comprehensive Overview
Eastern Africa Climate: Droughts and Rainfall Variability
Eastern Africa is characterized by frequent and severe droughts, which have significant impacts on the population. The region's climate is influenced by several factors, including the biannual passage of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which traditionally was thought to cause two distinct rainy seasons. However, recent studies suggest that this paradigm is inadequate. The "long rains" season, for instance, should not be treated as a single entity due to varying causal factors and teleconnections each month1. Over recent decades, the long rains have been declining, influenced by the Madden-Julian Oscillation and anomalies in the Pacific and Indian Oceans1. Additionally, the short rains are governed by nonstationary factors, and droughts have become longer and more intense, often spanning multiple rainy seasons1.
Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East: Climate Change Hotspot
The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region is a significant climate change hotspot, experiencing rapid warming and changes in the hydrological cycle. Over the past fifty years, the region has warmed faster than other inhabited areas, with a temperature increase of about 0.45°C per decade2. This trend is expected to continue unless there are substantial reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions. The region is also witnessing more severe and prolonged heatwaves, droughts, dust storms, and torrential rains, which can lead to flash floods2. Urbanization, desertification, and forest fires further exacerbate these climatic changes, impacting various sectors and necessitating robust adaptation strategies2.
Mediterranean Region: Local Temperature and Precipitation Variations
The Mediterranean region is highly responsive to climate change, identified as a major hotspot. Historical data and future projections indicate a consistent upward trend in temperatures across the region, while precipitation patterns show moderate changes with some seasonal variations4. Future projections suggest an increase in the duration and peak temperatures of heatwaves, along with a rise in the number of consecutive dry days4. These changes highlight the need for targeted climate adaptation measures to mitigate the impacts of prolonged droughts and extreme heat events.
China: Regional Climate Change and Variability
China's climate has undergone significant changes from 1961 to 2010, with distinct regional differences. The country is divided into five primary climate change zones based on temperature and precipitation trends: Northeast China-North China warm-dry, East China-Central China wet-warm, Southwest China-South China dry-warm, Southeast Tibet-Southwest China wet-warm, and Northwest China-Qinghai-Tibet Plateau warm-wet6. These zones reflect the diverse climatic impacts across the country, necessitating region-specific strategies to address the environmental risks and disasters associated with climate change6.
Global Semi-Arid Regions: Expansion and Climate Dynamics
Over the past sixty years, semi-arid regions have expanded significantly, accounting for more than half of the total dryland expansion globally. This expansion is particularly notable in the American continents and the Eastern Hemisphere, with different patterns of change. In the Americas, semi-arid regions have developed from previously arid areas becoming wetter, while in the Eastern Hemisphere, semi-arid regions have replaced sub-humid/humid areas becoming drier7. These shifts are influenced by regional climatic factors such as the East Asian summer monsoon and enhanced westerlies in North America7.
Central Asia: Temperature Increases and Climate Sensitivity
Central Asia, characterized by arid and semi-arid conditions, has experienced significant temperature increases from 1979 to 2011. The region's sparse meteorological data have been supplemented by reanalysis datasets, revealing a regional surface air temperature increase of 0.36°C to 0.42°C per decade8. This warming trend is more pronounced in recent years, underscoring the region's sensitivity to climate variations and the need for comprehensive climate monitoring and adaptation strategies8.
Conclusion
The climate of various regions around the world is undergoing significant changes, driven by both natural variability and anthropogenic influences. Eastern Africa faces increasing drought severity and rainfall variability, while the EMME region is a prominent climate change hotspot with rapid warming and extreme weather events. The Mediterranean region shows consistent warming and changing precipitation patterns, and China exhibits diverse regional climate trends. Global semi-arid regions are expanding, and Central Asia is experiencing notable temperature increases. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted climate adaptation and mitigation strategies to address the diverse and region-specific impacts of climate change.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
Climate and climatic variability of rainfall over eastern Africa
Eastern Africa's climate has become more complex, with longer and more intense droughts, and atmospheric variables provide more reliable seasonal forecasts than traditional factors like sea surface temperatures and El Nio–Southern Oscillation.
Literature Review
Highly CitedClimate Change and Weather Extremes in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East
The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East are experiencing rapid warming and extreme weather events, highlighting the need for adaptation and research to enhance resilience to climate change.
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The Mediterranean and North Eastern Europe are the primary climate change hotspots, followed by high latitude northern hemisphere regions and Central America.
Highly CitedClimate Change over the Mediterranean Region: Local Temperature and Precipitation Variations at Five Pilot Sites
The Mediterranean region is expected to experience a progressive warming and moderate change in precipitation, with heat waves and droughts increasing in duration and frequency.
Climate Variability and Change of Mediterranean-Type Climates
Mediterranean-type climates are drying out, with internal atmospheric variability being the dominant source of winter precipitation variability, and ocean forcing influencing California and Chile.
Highly CitedClimate change regionalization in China (1961–2010)
This paper regionalizes China's climate change from 1961 to 2010 into five tendencies and fourteen fluctuation regions, highlighting the impact of climate change on human development and environmental risks.
Highly CitedGlobal semi-arid climate change over last 60 years
Semi-arid regions have expanded globally since the early 1960s, with climate change mainly driven by weakened East Asian summer monsoon and enhanced westerlies in North America.
Highly CitedTemperature Changes in Central Asia from 1979 to 2011 Based on Multiple Datasets
Central Asia experienced significant regional surface air temperature increases of 0.36°-0.42°C decade-on-decade from 1979 to 2011, with no significant contributions from declining irrigation or urbanization.
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Regional climate models enhance global climate models by providing more detailed information and support for climate policy and adaptation.
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