Abstract: Based on the conventionally observational data from 126 weather stations in Hebei province and surrounding area from 1971 to 2000, the monthly mean air temperature under the tugged topography condition was simulated using a  distributed model and a  spatial distribution map of air temperature with the resolution of 100 m ×100 m. The results indicate that the air temperature fluctuates weakly because of the flat terrain in the Bashang plateau and the plain area of Hebei province, while the effect of the local terrain on the air temperature is significant in a range of Yanshan mountain and Taihangshan mountain. The maximum air temperature difference between the south-facing slope and the north-facing slope with the same angle appears in January, then in October and April, while the minimum one occurs in July. The air temperature difference increases with the increase of slope angle during the same period. The air temperature fluctuates weakly and is higher than that in the surrounding area because there are many basins and river valleys in Zhangjiakou area. The simulation accuracy of the distributed model on mean monthly air temperature is high in Hebei province, so is the simulation capability of time and space dimensions, and it could be applied in the mountainous region.

Key words: Real terrain, Mean air temperature, Distributed simulation, Digital elevation model (DEM), Error