The characteristics of surface energy fluxes at Tazhong, Naiman, Pingliang and Jinzhou stations from August to October 2015 and Dingxi station from August to October 2016 were analyzed using observed data obtained from the Drought Meteorology Scientific Research: Mechanism and Disaster Formation Processes of Drought in the North Region of China. Surface radiations over different underlying surface showed significant diurnal variations. Compared to the downward short wave radiation and the downward long wave radiation, the difference between reflected radiation and the upward long wave radiation over different underlying surface was more significant. The reflected radiation and the upward long wave radiation at Tazhong station were the largest, and they were relatively small in Jinzhou station and Pingliang station. Net radiation had significant diurnal variation characteristics. The phase of net radiation and the total radiation was consistent, and the diurnal peak value of net radiation over farmland was larger. The average surface albedo of three months was the largest at Tazhong station (0.27), and then at Dingxi station (0.19), Jinzhou station (0.16), Naiman station (0.15) and Pingliang station (0.14). The sensible heat flux and latent heat flux at 5 stations were single-peak type. The peak value (276 W·m-2) of sensible heat at Naiman station was the largest, and the peak value of latent heat flux at Pingliang station was the largest. The energy dissipation at Dingxi station and Jinzhou station was mainly sensible heat flux, and it was mainly latent heat flux at Pingliang station.

Based on the daily mean air temperature data of NCEP/NCAR during 1948-2017, the extreme high temperature events in Central Asia were determined by percentile threshold method, then the temporal-spatial distribution characteristics of intensity and frequency of extreme high temperature events over the past 70 years were analyzed. The results show that the spatial distribution of mean temperature in warm season in Central Asia was significantly affected by topography, and it gradually decreased from southwest to northeast. The intensity and frequency of extreme high temperature events occurred interdecadal transition in 1967. The intensity after transition was significantly higher than that before the transition. The frequency showed a negative trend before 1967 and a positive trend after that. The areas of extreme high temperature events also occurred interdecadal transition. According to the trend distribution of intensity, the region with the most significant increase was located in the west of Uzbekistan, and the region with the most significant negative trend was located in the southern Xinjiang of China. While the most significant increase in frequency trend was in Ural region of western Kazakhstan, and the negative trend was in Pamir Plateau.

Drought is the most severe natural hazard affecting on human society and it exists generally in the whole global. In recent a century, the climate warming and society developing exacerbated the degree of drought influence and risk, which brought a great threat to global agriculture, water resource, ecological environment security and society sustainable development. It is the basis of fighting and managing drought and reducing drought vulnerability to improve the drought monitoring and early warning skill. In this paper, we introduce the new progress of drought monitoring and prediction operation and research in the United States in recent years, and provide an overview of the development of regional and global drought monitoring and prediction systems (DMAPS). It focuses on the scientific researches and technology improvement of drought. At last, the opportunities and challenges of drought monitoring and prediction are discussed referring to NOAA Interagency Drought task Force in 2016, which is beneficial to provide a new perspective for drought monitoring and forecast in China.