Abstract: Based on the mean temperature, the minimum temperature data from 46 weather stations from 1960 to 2009 in Jilin province, heating intensity and heating index were calculated, and the characteristics of temperature variation and rules were analyzed by methods of a tendency analysis and a Mann-Kendall test. The results indicate that the mean and minimum temperatures are the increasing trends in the heating period. The number of days that temperature is lower than -20 ℃ decrease obviously. The mean and minimum temperature tendency rates are 0.24 ℃/decade and 0.42 ℃/decade in the recent 50 years, especially in the recent decade with 0.84℃/decade and 1.25℃/decade respectively, and the increasing tendency of the minimum temperature is obvious. The heating beginning date is in a delaying trend, while the heating ending date is in an advancing trend. Thus, the number of days of the heating period is shortened. The abrupt change of temperature during the heating period occurs in 1985. The heating period is long and the heating intensity is strong before the middle period of 1980s, while the heating period is short and the heating intensity is weak after 1980s. The heating index is mainly positive before the middle period of 1980s, while it is mainly negative after 1980s, especially in 1990s. However, the fluctuant amplitude of the heating index increases in the recent decade. The reasonable heating plans could be carried out according to temperature conditions because of the decreasing heating intensity and the shortening heating days, which can reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide to the atmosphere and it is important to palliation climate warming and improve the quality of atmospheric environment.

Key words: Heating period, Temperature, Heating index, Heating intensity, Energy consumption