Abstract: Based on conventional observed data at 65 meteorological stations from 1961 to 2010 in western Hubei province, the regional distribution of meteorological disasters risk of tobacco planting in this region was analyzed, by using expert estimation model, the AHP and disaster risk assessment model and the platform of GIS. The results showed that drought, chilling damage, continuous rain, rainstorm and heat injury were the major meteorological disaster in the process of tobacco growing. Drought risk was higher in the north than that of in the south, and eastern area was higher than the west. The risk of continuous rain and rainstorm were both higher in the south than the north. The chilling damage risk distributed relatively uniform from the south to the north, but lower in the east than in the west. The heat injury risk was higher in the north than that of in the south. Overall, the meteorological disaster risk in the north of this region, was higher in the east than that of in the west, which had no obvious regularity from south to north. nevertheless, the meteorological disaster risk in the south of this region was higher in the south than that of in the north. These results could provide the basis references for rational distribution and disaster prevention and mitigation of tobacco planting in western Hubei Province.

Key words: Western Hubei province, Tobacco, Meteorological disasters, Risk index, Distribution