Spatiotemporal Climate Variation and Analysis of Dry-Wet Trends for 1960–2019 in Jiangsu Province, Southeastern China

The spatiotemporal characteristics of dry-wet trends were identified and assessed, and the dominant meteorological factors were identified for the climate of Jiangsu province in humid southeastern China for the period 1960–2019. We conducted the research using data for the entire Jiangsu province as well as three major regions in Jiangsu (Huaibei, Jianghuai, and Sunan) with different regional climates. The results showed that decreased precipitation and relative humidity in spring and autumn over the study period were mainly responsible for the dry trends of the climates of all three regions and the entire province. Precipitation had a greater influence in spring and relative humidity in autumn. Decreases in sunshine hours and wind speed were responsible for the summer wet trends of the climates of Huaibei and Jianghuai and the entire province. However, precipitation increased significantly in the summer and was responsible for the increasing wet trend in Sunan. Significantly increased precipitation in winter was primarily responsible for the increasing wetness in Jianghuai and Sunan and the entire province in that season. However, the wet trend in northern Huaibei in winter was mainly caused by the decrease in wind speed over the study period. For the growing season and annually, the positive effects of changes in wind speed, sunshine hours, and precipitation led to increased humidity index in Jianghuai, Sunan, and the entire province. Precipitation showed a decreasing trend that countered the positive effects of decreases in wind speed and sunshine hours, which resulted in a slight decrease in the humidity index in Huaibei for both the growing season and annually. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the humidity index was positively sensitive to precipitation and relative humidity and negatively sensitive to air temperature, wind speed, and sunshine hours in Jiangsu province during 1960–2019. Overall, the humidity index in this region of southeastern China was most sensitive to changes in precipitation followed, in order of sensitivity, by sunshine hours, air temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for adjusting irrigation programs and efficient utilization of water resources at the regional scale in humid southeastern China.