City‑by‑City Climate Risk Numbers for China

This new dataset reveals the frequency of extreme weather events across 368 Chinese cities from 1973 to 2024. It is constructed from nearly seven million daily records of rain and temperature that have been meticulously aligned.

How the Data Was Processed

1. Seasonal Adjustment

   • Daily values for each city are first stripped of normal seasonal patterns using a simple Fourier model.
   • The residuals (differences from the expected seasonal pattern) expose how much weather deviates from what is typical for that time of year.

2. Defining Extremes

   • Residuals are counted against city‑specific thresholds, allowing comparisons across cities with very different climates.
   • This avoids reliance on a single national standard.
3. Final Indices
   
   • Three yearly indices are produced for each city:
4. Extreme Rain Index – frequency of unusually high rainfall.
5. Extreme Heat Index – frequency of unusually high temperatures.
6. Combined Score – a mix of both extremes.

Available Resources

Potential Applications

• Climate‑friendly finance planning
• Vulnerability assessments of cities
• Local adaptation strategy design
• Environmental policy formulation
• Risk mapping for extreme weather

This comprehensive dataset empowers researchers, policymakers, and planners to evaluate and mitigate the impacts of extreme weather across China’s diverse urban landscape.