By using the mean monthly dataset of global sea surface temperature and geopotential height fi elds, and the surface air temperature records of 64 stations in spring in Northeast China from 1958 and 2007, this paper analyzes the spatial/temporal variation characteristics of spring extreme low temperature (SELT) in Northeast China, and its relationship with atmospheric circulation and sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies.The results show that:The occurrence frequency of SELT in Northeastern China has tended to decrease; The frequency has two major modes:consistent change of the whole area and reversedphase change of the North-South; There is a significant negative correlation between the frequency of SELT and the AO index.For years with more extreme low temperature events, the polar vortex is weak, with strong Ural blocking high and cold vortex over Northeast China, and vice versa.Result also indicates that the key SST area affecting the SELT locates in the north-middle Atlantic Ocean, with negative (positive) SST anomalies for years with more (less) SELT events, implying important significance for SELT prediction.In addition, numerical simulations also show that SST anomalies in the north-middle Atlantic Ocean can cause air temperature anomalies over Northeast China by exciting Eurasian wave trains.