The paper analyzed the relationship between an earthquake and a celestial tide-generating force. We selected the background that indicates the time for the research of the abnormal enhancement in identifying the atmospheric temperature rise caused by an earthquake based on the phase change cycle of tidal force. Then

with the use of atmospheric stratification

which is integrated with atmospheric temperature data from the National Center for Environmental Prediction

the air temperature evolution of several different levels in the vertical direction before and after the MS8.1 Kunlun Mountains earthquake was analyzed. Results show that the earthquake occurred when the tidal force value was near the maximum amplitude phase. Thus

the tidal force could trigger an earthquake near land surfaces and upper multi-layers. The warming areas are mainly concentrated near active faults

thereby exhibiting non-uniform heating procession. The temperature increased to a continuous evolution procession of warming before the earthquake and recession after the earthquake. It obeyed the rule of thermal rise procession of rock broken under stress loading. Thus

the increase in temperature was related to the activities of the regional fault. Meantime

the air temperature performed a warm procession

that is

the surface air is warmed by land

uplifted by heat flux

and cooled and dissipated in the sky. It is consistent with the dynamic diffusion principle of atmospheric air thermal warming by land in the vertical direction. The tectonic activity is the main cause of the abnormal change in temperature. Finally

the atmospheric warming process stepped with the tidal force (from low phase to high phase) change process. Therefore

the tide force not only delivered a mechanical basis and calculated the time to select the background in advance in research on air temperature warming during an earthquake but also showed that the atmosphere temperature change

according to the tidal force change cycle

could reflect the change in tectonic stress prior to an impending earthquake. Combining the analysis of the tidal force change and the analysis of atmospheric vertical temperature stratification distinguishes the increase in air temperature anomalies caused by the earthquake from that which is not caused by an earthquake.