The Rotated Principle Component (RPC) analysis is employed to diagnose the pentad rainfall over 621 stations and the daily
maximum and mi山mum temperature over 2 214 stations in China. Their leading modes and the associated eigenfunctions for four sea-
sons are obtained. Results show that these modes can well describe the regional characteristics in rainfall as well as temperature ,and be
used to specify different short一medium range weather regions over the whole country. Based on these ,252representative stations are
selected to present different weather characteristics. The rainfall and te}erature data of these stations can thus be considered as the
basic data required for the improvement of objective element forecasts and the expansion of weather services.