Abstract:The main characteristics of the general atmospheric circulation in March 2023 are as follows. There was one polar vortex center in the Northern Hemisphere, which was stronger than usual. The 500 hPa geopotential height presented the distribution of an anomalous four-wave pattern in the mid-high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere and the airflow was relatively straight and flat in Asia. The strength of Western Pacific subtropical high was a little weaker than that in normal years, and the south branch trough was weaker slightly with position more westward than normal. During this month, most regions of China experienced warmer temperatures with the averaged value reaching 6.8℃, which is 2.0℃ higher than the normal, and was recorded the third highest mean temperature in the same period since 1961. The monthly mean precipitation amount was 26.5 mm, 9.9% less than in normal periods (29.4 mm). A large-scale rainfall process occurred in the month, accompanied by significant severe convective weather such as heavy rain and thunderstorm, and many provinces were even hit by hail. Meanwhile, the cold airs affecting China were generally weak, and only two main cold air processes posed influence on the whole country. The northern part of China was caught by four sand-dust weather processes, one of which reached the level of a strong sandstorm. In addition, drought conditions appeared in the East China, the southern part of Central China, the South China and the southern part of Southwest China.