Abstract

Factor analysis was used to investigate the changes of dry-wet climate in the dry season in Yunnan during 1961–2007 based on observed data from 15 stations. Three common factors were extracted from the 9 climatic factors. The results showed that the dry-wet climate has evidently changed since the early 1960s. The general trends in the changes of dry-wet climate were described as slight decrease in humidity and gradual enhancement in drought intensity. The climate during 1960s–1980s was under weak-medium drought. But since early 1990s, dry conditions have markedly strengthened and continued due to uneven temporal distribution of rainfall and climate warming. Huang, Z., 2011: Changes of dry-wet climate in the dry season in Yunnan (1961–2007). Adv. Clim. Change Res., 2 (1), doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1248.2011.00049.