Climate Change Chart of Shanghai, China

Overview of climate changes

Temperature changes

Averaged across calendar months, monthly mean temperature shows a difference of +0.66 °C in the more recent period. This is an unweighted comparison of monthly means, not a day-weighted annual average or a measure of daytime maximum temperatures. The largest monthly increase was in January, at a difference of +1.27 °C; by contrast, June had the largest decrease, a difference of -0.15 °C. These extrema show that the period-to-period differences varied by month, rather than representing the same change in every month.

Changes in rainfall

Mean daily rainfall, averaged across calendar months, had a difference of +0.55 mm/day in the more recent period. This unweighted mean compares monthly averages of daily amounts, so it should not be read as an annual rainfall total or as a change that applied uniformly month by month. The largest increase occurred in January, with a difference of +1.16 mm/day, while April recorded the largest decrease, a difference of -0.12 mm/day. Together, the mean and these contrasting monthly differences describe an overall higher average alongside variation in the direction and size of the monthly comparisons.

Changes in sunshine duration

Mean daily sunshine duration, averaged across calendar months, shows a difference of -0.79 hours/day between the reference periods. This is an unweighted average of monthly mean daily hours, rather than a day-weighted annual measure. The largest monthly decrease was in June, with a difference of -1.37 hours/day. That monthly extreme identifies where the decline was greatest; it does not imply an equal decrease in every month.

Changes in snowfall

Mean daily snowfall, averaged across calendar months, had a difference of +0.07 mm/day in the more recent period. The displayed mean describes an unweighted comparison of monthly averages of daily snowfall, not a monthly total, and does not indicate that the same difference occurred in each month. The largest increase was in February, at a difference of +0.46 mm/day, while the largest decrease was in March, with a difference of -0.06 mm/day. These contrasting monthly results put the modest overall mean difference in context without suggesting uniform changes across the calendar.