Research Journal of Applied Sciences

Year: 2013
Volume: 8
Issue: 1
Page No. 27 - 32

Rainfall Distribution and Change Detection in Northern Nigeria

Authors : Stephen B. Ogungbenro and Tobi E. Morakinyo

Abstract: This study approached climate and climate change study using the rainfall distribution over each climatological zone of Northern Nigeria. Nigeria today boasts of not <44 weather observation stations which provide measurement of rainfall amount for different locations across the country. Data were collected for 90 years (1910 to 1999) for all the weather observation stations that falls in the Sahel and Sudan Savannah zones of Nigeria while a subdivision was made to three non-overlapping climatic regimes of 30 years viz 1910 to 1939, 1940 to 1969 and 1970 to 1999. Statistical methods were utilized to justify any such change in the averaged weather. The trend and variability of averaged zonal rainfall was investigated using the probability density function, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, Paired Sample test and Mann Whitney test which all form the non-parametric components of the test in order to investigate variations and detect the change points. Results show common change points and transitions from wet to dry (downward shift) and vice versa in both zones. Statistical tests performed on the data show that rainfall variation over the Sahel is significant (p<0.05) between pairs of regimes (1st and 3rd, 2nd and 3rd) while it is not significant (p<0.05) between 1st and 2nd. Over the Sudan, rainfall variability between climate regimes were not statistically different at 95% confidence interval. Suggestions were therefore made at the end of the study on the use of the contained information for socio-economic improvement and agricultural development of the zones.

How to cite this article:

Stephen B. Ogungbenro and Tobi E. Morakinyo, 2013. Rainfall Distribution and Change Detection in Northern Nigeria. Research Journal of Applied Sciences, 8: 27-32.

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