Long-term spatio-temporal variability and change in rainfall over Ghana (1960–2015)
Assessment of the change in the characteristics of precipitation for more than half a century (1960–2015) is important for determining the extent of climate change on the country Ghana, and more specifically, the Northern Savannah Agro-ecological Zone (NSAZ). This is because the change in the attrib...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific African |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227623000479 |
| _version_ | 1811159608733990912 |
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| author | Steve Ampofo Thompson Annor Jeffrey N.A. Aryee Winifred A. Atiah Leonard K. Amekudzi |
| author_facet | Steve Ampofo Thompson Annor Jeffrey N.A. Aryee Winifred A. Atiah Leonard K. Amekudzi |
| author_sort | Steve Ampofo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Assessment of the change in the characteristics of precipitation for more than half a century (1960–2015) is important for determining the extent of climate change on the country Ghana, and more specifically, the Northern Savannah Agro-ecological Zone (NSAZ). This is because the change in the attributes of rainfall has a direct impact on the quality of livelihood and is crucial not only for the sustenance of natural systems but also for agriculture productivity and the supply of food. The analysis involved the determination of the Daily Precipitation Analysis (Annual Total precipitation, Number of wet days, Number of dry days, Number of wet spells, and Number of dry spells) for the period and trend analysis using Mann-Kendall test and Sen's slope estimation. The following climate extreme indices; R10mm, R20mm, R25mm, CDD, CWD, PRCPTOT, SDII were also computed to assess the level of change in rainfall characteristics for the country. It is observed that Inter-annual, decadal changes and the general trend in Total precipitation (PRCPTOT) show a decline which is higher for the country than for the NSAZ. On the other hand, NSAZ has a higher variability observed in terms of the standard deviation and the coefficient of Variation (CoefVar). There is a general drying up of the climate evident in the decline in rainfall amount (PRCPTOT) and intensity (SDII), and this pattern exhibits a latitudinal decrease from the south (5°N) to the north (11°N). We observe the decrease in PRCPT from latitude 4°N up to latitude 10°N with some exceptional years of increases, however, from latitude 10.3°N up to 11°N, there is a steep increase in the driest part of the country especially to the north east. SDII is the only precipitation indices which have a positive and significant relationship with the AMO for both national and Zone. All other indices have Negative and insignificant values of the relationship AMO. NAO has a negative correlation with all the Precipitation indices except CDD and Dry days. This indicates that as NAO increases, PRCPTOT, Wet days, CWD, R10mm, R20mm, R25mm, and SDII decreases, or vice versa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:44:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4c041708a23d4a31b3f7c8df5da54215 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2468-2276 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:44:10Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific African |
| spelling | doaj.art-4c041708a23d4a31b3f7c8df5da542152023-03-06T04:18:39ZengElsevierScientific African2468-22762023-03-0119e01588Long-term spatio-temporal variability and change in rainfall over Ghana (1960–2015)Steve Ampofo0Thompson Annor1Jeffrey N.A. Aryee2Winifred A. Atiah3Leonard K. Amekudzi4Department of Meteorology and Climate Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Department of Environmental Science, School of Environment and Life Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana; Corresponding authors.Department of Meteorology and Climate Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Meteorology and Climate Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Meteorology and Climate Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Meteorology and Climate Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaAssessment of the change in the characteristics of precipitation for more than half a century (1960–2015) is important for determining the extent of climate change on the country Ghana, and more specifically, the Northern Savannah Agro-ecological Zone (NSAZ). This is because the change in the attributes of rainfall has a direct impact on the quality of livelihood and is crucial not only for the sustenance of natural systems but also for agriculture productivity and the supply of food. The analysis involved the determination of the Daily Precipitation Analysis (Annual Total precipitation, Number of wet days, Number of dry days, Number of wet spells, and Number of dry spells) for the period and trend analysis using Mann-Kendall test and Sen's slope estimation. The following climate extreme indices; R10mm, R20mm, R25mm, CDD, CWD, PRCPTOT, SDII were also computed to assess the level of change in rainfall characteristics for the country. It is observed that Inter-annual, decadal changes and the general trend in Total precipitation (PRCPTOT) show a decline which is higher for the country than for the NSAZ. On the other hand, NSAZ has a higher variability observed in terms of the standard deviation and the coefficient of Variation (CoefVar). There is a general drying up of the climate evident in the decline in rainfall amount (PRCPTOT) and intensity (SDII), and this pattern exhibits a latitudinal decrease from the south (5°N) to the north (11°N). We observe the decrease in PRCPT from latitude 4°N up to latitude 10°N with some exceptional years of increases, however, from latitude 10.3°N up to 11°N, there is a steep increase in the driest part of the country especially to the north east. SDII is the only precipitation indices which have a positive and significant relationship with the AMO for both national and Zone. All other indices have Negative and insignificant values of the relationship AMO. NAO has a negative correlation with all the Precipitation indices except CDD and Dry days. This indicates that as NAO increases, PRCPTOT, Wet days, CWD, R10mm, R20mm, R25mm, and SDII decreases, or vice versa.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227623000479Rainfall: Climate changeVariabilityAMONAOTrend, Ghana |
| spellingShingle | Steve Ampofo Thompson Annor Jeffrey N.A. Aryee Winifred A. Atiah Leonard K. Amekudzi Long-term spatio-temporal variability and change in rainfall over Ghana (1960–2015) Scientific African Rainfall: Climate change Variability AMO NAO Trend, Ghana |
| title | Long-term spatio-temporal variability and change in rainfall over Ghana (1960–2015) |
| title_full | Long-term spatio-temporal variability and change in rainfall over Ghana (1960–2015) |
| title_fullStr | Long-term spatio-temporal variability and change in rainfall over Ghana (1960–2015) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Long-term spatio-temporal variability and change in rainfall over Ghana (1960–2015) |
| title_short | Long-term spatio-temporal variability and change in rainfall over Ghana (1960–2015) |
| title_sort | long term spatio temporal variability and change in rainfall over ghana 1960 2015 |
| topic | Rainfall: Climate change Variability AMO NAO Trend, Ghana |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227623000479 |
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