Abstract:This study uses daily observation data in Jinan and Qingdao, Shandong Province during 1999-2011, to reveal associations between the precipitation types and temperatures to determine potential changes of precipitation in cold seasons. The results show that precipitation types are firstly relative with synoptic systems. Jianghuai cyclone and backflow situation weather systems often produce different precipitation types. Cold fronts, Huanghe cyclone and low eddy shear line often lead to snowfalls directly. Pure snowfall occurs in low temperatures and has obvious thresholds below 850 hPa. Temperatures at 850 hPa and 925 hPa are weak clues for identifying rain, snow and sleet in mixed precipitations while temperature below 1000 hPa is very critical. It is better for precipitation type discrimination by combining the temperature in different levels under 925 hPa with surface temperature than the single level temperature. By comparison, ice pellets are highly dependent on the higher temperature in 700 hPa. The height of 0℃ level is good clue for predicting precipitation types. The 0℃ level is higher or near 925 hPa when it rains, but when it descends near 1000 hPa rain converts to snow. There is no pure sleet or ice pellets because they always appear in mixed precepitation types.