Abstract: Based on the daily mean and minimum temperature data in Guizhou Plateau for the period from 1961 to 2008 at 19 observational stations,the temporal and spatial characteristics and circulation characteristics of cold wave occurrence in the recent 48 years were analyzed by using the methods of linear-trend estimate,Mann-Kendall catastorophe test and Morlet analysis.The results indicated that cold wave activities varied in different areas of Guizhou Plateau.They were frequent in Weining and Dushan and rare in the edge of the Northeastern and Southwestern province.Their occurrence was mainly from January to April and there had been a declining trend in the past 48 years.There were periodical variations of qusi-22 years and 13 years in the cold wave activities of Guizhou.M-K test indicated that the abrupt changes of the cold wave activities were not obvious.However,the difference of the circulation characteristics between the active years and quiet years was obvious in Guizhou Plateau.

Key words: Guizhou, Guizhou, Cold wave, Abrupt changes, Circulation characteristics