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The sunshine hours are very low in winter and fall, but relatively high in spring and summer.
2200 hours sunshine is actually very "high" in South China, especially in southwest China. Chengdu has less than 1000 for example. The lowest record of Chengdu is 770 something, which was recorded a few years ago. Pollution definitely plays a role in recent years.
I meant 2200 hours would be the cloudiest major city in north China. I dont know why I said "China" and not "North China". North China is at 2200-3000 hours of sunshine, closer to 3000 hours. So 2200 hours could still be likely. 1500 hours is a huge outlier in North China.
Zhengzhou is also at 2200 hours, same temperatures as Xi'an, in close proximity. And Zhengzhou is the most polluted major city in China according to the WHO:
I meant 2200 hours would be the cloudiest major city in north China. I dont know why I said "China" and not "North China". North China is at 2200-3000 hours of sunshine, closer to 3000 hours. So 2200 hours could still be likely. 1500 hours is a huge outlier in North China.
Zhengzhou is also at 2200 hours, same temperatures as Xi'an, in close proximity. And Zhengzhou is the most polluted major city in China according to the WHO:
Also the Indian Occean monsoon can sometimes reach Xi'an, but less likely to influence Zhengzhou. Zhengzhou is also located in a wide plain and is more windy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsoon_of_South_Asia
Also the Indian Occean monsoon can sometimes reach Xi'an, but less likely to influence Zhengzhou. Zhengzhou is also located in a wide plain and is more windy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsoon_of_South_Asia
But why would Xi'an have the same highs as the other cities in close proximity to it if it was far more cloudy? 700 hours less sunshine is alot. And Xi'an gets less rain than Zhengzhou as well. The diurnal range is also very high for a city of 1500 hours of sunshine. Where was the sunshine recorder positioned? Could mountains have blocked some of the sunshine?
But why would Xi'an have the same highs as the other cities in close proximity to it if it was far more cloudy? 700 hours less sunshine is alot. And Xi'an gets less rain than Zhengzhou as well. The diurnal range is also very high for a city of 1500 hours of sunshine. Where was the sunshine recorder positioned? Could mountains have blocked some of the sunshine?
High temperatures and low sunshine are not conflicting, because summers are not very cloudy anyway. Chongqing is one of the cloudiest cities in the world, but it's also very hot in summer, reaching 40+ C almost every year.
In winter Xi'an is better protected from the Siberian cold fronts than Zhengzhou. The average low of Xi'an is about the same as those near the Yangtze River.
You may notice Xi'an has higher humidity than Zhengzhou in fall and winter but not so in summer.
Last edited by Bettafish; 11-23-2017 at 05:26 PM..
I know Amarillo pretty well. Never been to China. The wind in Amarillo is a problem for me. In the colder months it makes it a lot colder than the temps indicate. So with the milder summers in Xi' An I would take it over Amarillo.
Xi’an has a disgusting climate - F. All that greyness and then as soon as the sun comes it’s unberably hot. Worse still, it gets dull in September whilst remaining hot. Overcast and hot is about as bad as it gets.
Amarillo’s summers (May-September) are too hot but the rest of the year is delightful. I give it a D.
High temperatures and low sunshine are not conflicting, because summers are not very cloudy anyway. Chongqing is one of the cloudiest cities in the world, but it's also very hot in summer, reaching 40+ C almost every year.
In winter Xi'an is better protected from the Siberian cold fronts than Zhengzhou. The average low of Xi'an is about the same as those near the Yangtze River.
You may notice Xi'an has higher humidity than Zhengzhou in fall and winter but not so in summer.
Chongqing would have hotter highs in the summer than it has if it was much sunnier in the summer, dont you agree? If we look at the highs, year-round, they are the same in Zhengzhou and Xi'an. If we factor in the elevation difference (Xi'an being more elevated) Xi'an has hotter highs in every season than Zhengzhou while having 700 hours less sunshine.
Very high urban heat island effect can explain the average lows being somewhat higher. The extreme lows are lower in Xi'an than Zhengzhou so there seems to be little difference in terms of protection from cold fronts from Siberia.
Chongqing would have hotter highs in the summer than it has if it was much sunnier in the summer, dont you agree? If we look at the highs, year-round, they are the same in Zhengzhou and Xi'an. If we factor in the elevation difference (Xi'an being more elevated) Xi'an has hotter highs in every season than Zhengzhou while having 700 hours less sunshine.
Very high urban heat island effect can explain the average lows being somewhat higher. The extreme lows are lower in Xi'an than Zhengzhou so there seems to be little difference in terms of protection from cold fronts from Siberia.
China is not like Europe or even America, the seasonal variation
in China is huge, and the weekly and daily variation is huge too.
In terms of high temperature days (35+ C by Chinese definition), Xi'an is the single hottest provincial capital city in North China. This year it had been continuously over 40+ C for nearly two weeks. Xi'an is cloudy, but not evenly so. It's not like Europe where you have 3 cloudy days in a week and then 4 sunny days. Xi'an can be sunny for 20 days in a row and then cloudy for 20 days.
China has detailed records for all major cities since 1950. For Xi'an it started even much earlier. If you check old data before industrialization, you will find the same pattern. Xi'an has always been cloudier than Zhengzhou. It is a well known fact for local people.
China always sets national weather stations far from the central urban area. It is true for all major cities. The reason is China has a slogan "meteorology serves agriculture", suggesting the tradition to use weather reports to help suburban and rural farmers.
Xi'an has a lower extremely low than Zhengzhou simply because it had heavy snow in that particular very cold year. If you check Wuhan, a southern city by Yangtze River, it has a lower record than Zhengzhou as well, also because it had heavy snow there but Zhengzhou did not.
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