TheregionalizationofclimateinChinaisbasedonathree-levelclassificationintermsoflastingdaysforaccumulatedtemperature(AT),aridityindex,andJulymeantemperature.Basedondailymeteorologicalobservationaldatafrom756stations,trendsandinterdecadalvariationinindicesforclassifyingtemperaturezones,moistureregionsandclimaticsubregionsintheperiod1961–2010arediscussed.ResultsrevealthatthenationwideAT10℃(AT10)anditslastingdaysarebasicallyincreasing,whilearidityinnorthernXinjiangisdecreasing.TheincreasingtrendofJulymeantemperatureinNorthChinaisfoundtobenotablylargerthaninSouthChina.Intermsoftheirnationalaverages,amarkedstepincreaseofAT10anditslastingperiod,aswellasJulymeantemperatureoccurredaround1997,whilethearidityindexpresentsnosuchclearchange.Bycomparingregionalizationareasfor1998–2010withthosefor1961–97,itisfoundthatthesemi-humid,semi-dryanddryregionsinthesub-temperatezone,aswellasthehumidregioninthemiddlesubtropicalzone,haveexperiencedsubstantialshrinkageintermsofarea.Incontrast,theareasofsemi-dryanddryregionsinthewarmtemperatezone,aswellasthehumidregioninthesouthsubtropicalzone,presentdrasticallyincreasingtrends.Owingtotheinfluenceofsuchstepchangesthattookplacein1997,thatparticularpointintimeshouldbegivencloseattentioninfuturestudiesregardingtheregionalizationofclimateinChina.
