Abstract:Characteristic analysis of the heat wave events over China from 1958 to 2013 based on excess heat factor (EHF) was analyzed, and some heat wave indices and aspects were recommended by the Commission for Climatology (CCl) Expert Team on Climate Risk and Sector Specific Climate Indices (ET CRSCI) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) World Climate Programme and the other indices were derived in this paper. The results show that, from 1958 to 2013, the heat wave numbers in central, eastern and northwestern China were more than that in other areas. The heat wave duration and heat wave frequency were most in eastern and central China. The heat wave amplitude was higher in northern China and lower in southern China. The resemble feature could be found in the heat wave mean and the heat wave median, as well. The heat wave days and the heat wave severe days were most in eastern and central China, the heat wave extreme days were most in northern and western China. The indices of the heat waves in most areas of China showed an increasing trend for the period 1958-2013. The heat wave annual value showed a significant increasing trend and it has interannual variation mainly in quasi three year oscillation. The main mutation was found in 1994 by using 10 years’ moving average. The heat wave events at Deqin Station of Yunnan Province were analyzed as an example in order to explain the heat wave events in western plateau area of China, and the increasing trend in the 21st century.