Abstract: In order to properly guide the studies on climate change and find out the reliable data sources, this paper discussed the applicability of NCEP/NCAR in reanalyzing temperature in the Aksu River.The monthly temperature data observed by 6 meteorological stations in the Aksu River Basin during the period from 1960 to 2007 and Kriging method were used. The results revealed that there was a good correlation between the analyzed temperature values with NCEP/NCAR and the observed ones at the meteorological stations, and the maximum correlation coefficient was 0.845. It was found that the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis was able to be used to derive the values of annual, seasonal and monthly temperature in the study area. Compared with the temperature values observed by the meteorological stations, the analyzed values with NCEP/NCAR reanalysis was lower than the observed ones. There was a similar trend of temperature change between the reanalyzed values with NCEP/NCAR and the observed data. Except some months, the reanalyzed values of monthly temperature with NCEP/NCAR were generally lower than the observed data, especially in spring, and there was a good correlation between the analyzed and observed data of temperature in autumn.

Key words: climate change, NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, temperature, applicability, Aksu River Basin