Elevation‐dependent reductions in wind speed over and around the Tibetan Plateau

The Tibetan Plateau ( TP ) affects its surroundings significantly through thermal and dynamic processes. Reductions in near‐surface wind speed ( W s ) have been observed from ground measurements but how the trends of W s vary with the elevation is less clear. Trends of W s with respect to elevation were investigated using long‐term daily records taken from 1970 to 2012 of W s and maximum ( T max ), minimum ( T min ), and mean ( T mean ) air temperatures from 139 stations over and around the TP . The major findings are as follows. (1) Pronounced reductions in W s can be observed in all seasons and annually across the TP . Spring demonstrates the most prominent weakening. The rate of reductions in W s was amplified with elevation, and higher‐elevation environments experienced greater changes in W s than lower‐elevation areas. Elevation‐dependent reductions in W s have intensified from 1970 to 2012. (2) Statistically significant negative correlations between W s and corresponding near‐surface temperatures were detected. We suggested that the elevation‐dependent warming and thereby the increased surface roughness at higher‐elevation environments may contribute to the elevation‐dependent reductions in W s over and around the TP . More detailed mechanisms causing this pattern are to be further explored.