Abstract:By using EOF decomposition, linear trend analysis, variance analysis, wavelet analysis, correlation coefficient method, the winter minimum temperature observed from datasets during 1979-2012 obtained from 194 stations in China were compared with that from NCEP/NCAR (N1T),NCEP/DOE (N2T),ERA-Interim (ET) and JRA-25 (JT) reanalysis datasets in terms of the average, the long term variation, the interannual and the interdecadal variations. Results suggest that:(1) the ET performs best in reproducing the observed multi-year average winter minimum temperature. (2) Except the northern and southeastern Xinjiang and the north of Northeast China, the winter minimum temperature in most parts of China increased during 1979-2012; NIT performs better than other three datasets in depicting the linear trend of the observed temperature. (3) Annual and interdecadal variations of observed winter minimum temperature are larger in northern China and Tibetan plateau than those in southern China; the four reanalysis of winter minimum temperature show different depiction in different area, generally the ET is better. (4) The four reanalysis data are equal in reproducing the interdecadal time scale features of observed winter minimum temperature, and ET is better, especially in middle and east of China and the northern Xinjiang. N1T and N2T have better ability in representing the annual variability of observed winter minimum temperature in northeast of China,while ET performs better in representing the features of 3-4 periods before 1990 and after 2005 than the other three reanalysis data.