The researchers studied how unusual ocean and air patterns in 2012 affected China's weather. They found that warm ocean conditions in the Pacific led to higher temperatures and less rain in southern China. A strong high-pressure system caused these changes. In the Indian Ocean, a positive dipole pattern affected Southwest China, bringing more rain in the autumn. The summer monsoons in South China started early and ended late, but were weaker than usual. The East Asian summer monsoon was the fourth strongest since 1951. Overall, China experienced a colder winter and autumn, and a warmer spring and summer in 2012. Northern China had more rain in the summer, while southern China had less.