Abstract
Employing the percentile-based indices, TN10p, TX10p, TN90p, and TX90p during 1961–2018, we evaluate temporal and spatial trends in extreme temperature at 54 stations over Mongolia. Statically significant changes in temperature extremes in the warm (TN90p and TX90p) and cool indices (TN10p and TX10p) are found. The rate of increase in the number of warm nights and days are respectively 1.5 and 1.9 days decade− 1, while the cool nights and days show a declining trend of -0.8 and − 1.5 days decade− 1, respectively. Despite the fact that the trends are most vigorous during June-July-August, seasonal variations can be seen. Also, spatial distributions of the trends reveal weakest magnitudes in Gobi Desert, while strongest in the west and north of Mongolia. The large-scale atmospheric circulations account for changes in the temperature extreme indices. The East Atlantic, East Atlantic/western Russian, and Scandinavian patterns, and the Arctic Oscillation is found to contribute the most to the interannual variation in the temperature extremes.