The temperature thresholds and timings of the 24 climatic Solar Terms in China are determined from a homogenized dataset of
the surface air temperature recorded at 549 meteorological stations for the period 1960–2008 employing the ensemble empirical
mode decomposition method. Changes in the mean temperature and timing of the climatic solar terms are illustrated. The results
show that in terms of the mean situation over China, the number of cold days such as those of Slight Cold and Great Cold has

The uncertainty associated with predicting extreme weather events has serious implications for the developing world, owing to the greater societal vulnerability to such events. Continual exposure to unanticipated extreme events is a contributing factor for the descent into perpetual and structural rural poverty. We provide two examples of how probabilistic environmental prediction of extreme weather events can support dynamic adaptation. In the current climate era, we describe how short-term flood forecasts have been developed and implemented in Bangladesh.

A pilot study was conducted to assess the economic impact of weather forecast-based advisories issued to 15 of the 127 Agrometeorological Advisory Service (AAS) units of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. Six seasons comprising three Kharif (summer) and three Rabi (winter) during 2003–2007 were chosen. The major crops chosen for the study included food grains, oilseeds, cash crops, fruit and vegetable crops. The sample set consisted of 80 farmers, comprising 40 responding and 40 non-responding farmers.