The 1757–62 Temperature Observed in Beijing

Abstract Instrumental data from the pre–Industrial Revolution period are important to ­understand climate change. In this paper, observations made by French missionary J. Amiot in present-day central Beijing during 1757–62 were processed and analyzed. The represent earliest continuous dataset of meteorological records found China that have been digitized recently. Comparisons between annual temperature range extreme values with modern showed read at approximately 0800 1500 local solar time (LST) a well-ventilated outdoor site. daily maximum, minimum, mean temperatures (T-max, T-min, T-mean, respectively) determined examining relationship LST T-max, T-mean reference series. Nearly 260 years ago, Beijing’s was typical an inland temperate monsoon zone T-min being 11.5°, 17.8°, 6.1°C, respectively; further, did not vary considerably 1951–1980 temperatures, but differed evidently compared relatively recent decades (1981–2020). difference larger than magnitudes global regional changes. Thus, warming since urban areas has dominantly occurred over last four decades. Uncertainties related thermometer observational conditions ago interpolation method used also discussed paper.