The Qinling Mountains are a significant mountain range in central China that stretches across five provinces. The climate of the Qinling Mountains is characterized by its diversity due to its complex terrain and varied altitude and can be classified into three different zones: the warm temperate zone, the mid-temperate zone, and the cold temperate zone.
The warm temperate zone is located in the southern part of the Qinling Mountains and is characterized by a humid subtropical climate with hot and humid summers and mild winters. The average temperature in this zone ranges from 18 to 23 °C (64 to 73 °F) during the summer and 2 to 8 °C (36 to 46 °F) during the winter. The annual rainfall in this zone ranges from 800 to 1500 mm (31 to 59 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring during the summer months.
The mid-temperate zone is located in the middle part of the Qinling Mountains and has a humid continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. The average temperature in this zone ranges from 14 to 18 °C (57 to 64 °F) during the summer and -4 to 0 °C (25 to 32 °F) during the winter. The annual rainfall in this zone ranges from 600 to 1000 mm (24 to 39 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring during the summer months.
The cold temperate zone is located in the northern part of the Qinling Mountains and has a subarctic climate with cold winters and cool summers. The average temperature in this zone ranges from 10 to 14 °C (50 to 57 °F) during the summer and -10 to -6 °C (14 to 21 °F) during the winter. The annual rainfall in this zone ranges from 400 to 800 mm (16 to 31 inches), with most of the rainfall occurring during the summer months.
Due to the varied altitude in the Qinling Mountains, there are different microclimates within each of these three zones. For example, higher elevations tend to be cooler and wetter than lower elevations. Additionally, the mountainous terrain can cause significant variations in temperature and rainfall over short distances.
Overall, the climate in the Qinling Mountains is influenced by the East Asian monsoon and has significant regional and local variations due to the complex terrain.