Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-58
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-58
25 Apr 2023
 | 25 Apr 2023
Status: a revised version of this preprint is currently under review for the journal AMT.

Impacts of anemometer changes, site relocations and processing methods on wind speed trends in China

Yi Liu, Lihong Zhou, Yingzuo Qin, Cesar Azorin-Molina, Cheng Shen, Rongrong Xu, and Zhenzhong Zeng

Abstract. In-situ surface wind observation is a critical meteorological data source for various research fields. However, data quality is affected by factors such as surface friction changes, station relocations, and anemometer updates. Previous methods to address discontinuities have been insufficient, and processing methods have not always adhered to World Meteorological Organization (WMO) guidelines. We analyzed data discontinuity caused by anemometer changes and station relocations in China’s daily in-situ near-surface (~10 m) wind speed observations and the impact of the processing methods on wind speed trends. By comparing the wind speed discontinuities with the recorded location changes, we identified 90 stations that showed abnormally increasing wind speeds due to relocation. After removing those stations, we followed a standard quality control method recommended by the World Meteorological Organization to improve the data reliability and applied Thiessen Polygons to calculate the area-weighted average wind speed. The result shows that China's recent reversal of wind speed was reduced by 41 % after removing the problematic stations, with an increasing trend of 0.017 m s−1 year−1 (R2 = 0.64, P < 0.05), emphasizing the importance of robust quality control and homogenization protocols in wind trend assessments.

Yi Liu et al.

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on amt-2023-58', Jitze van der Meulen, 08 Jun 2023
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Rongrong Xu, 04 Sep 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on amt-2023-58', Anonymous Referee #2, 10 Aug 2023
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Rongrong Xu, 04 Sep 2023

Yi Liu et al.

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Short summary
Our research analyzed China's wind speed data and addressed inconsistencies caused by factors like equipment changes and station relocations. After improving data quality, China's recent wind speed decrease reduced by 41 %, revealing an increasing trend. This emphasizes the importance of rigorous data processing for accurate trend assessments in various research fields.