Abstract: This paper summarizes the research progress of winter air temperature variations of three provinces (i.e. Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang) in Northeast China. The basic characteristics of interannual and interdecadal variations of average, maximum and minimum air temperatures in the last 100 years or recent several dacades are briefly reviewed. This overview deals with various atmosphere-ocean general circulation factors closely associated with interdecadal and interannual climate variations of winter air temperature of three provinces in Northeast China. Winter air temperature has risen in Northeast China in recent 100 years, and an abrupt warming occurred in about 1987. Arctic Oscillation, Siberian high, and East Asian winter monsoon are the major factors affecting the interannual variations of winter temperature in Northeast China; the persistentce of Arctic Oscillation, East Asian winter monsoon, and circulation pattern over the mid-high latitudes of East Asia are the major factors affecting the interdecadal variations of winter temperature. The climate change possessing multiple characteristics in the late 1970s is worth further discussing. It is necessary to deeply study the short-term climatic prediction methods of winter temperature in the three provinces of Northeast China. Besides, we should pay more attention to the in-homogeneity problems of observed temperature series in Northeast China.

Key words: three provinces in Northeast China, winter air temperature, climate change, research advances