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Abstract
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Article Information:
An Analysis of Rainfall Trends in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, Nigeria
I.B. Abaje, S. Ishaya, and S.U. Usman
Corresponding Author: Abaje, Iliya Bitrus
Submitted: 2009 December, 18
Accepted: 2010 January, 10
Published: 2010 April, 20 |
Abstract:
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Rainfall data for 35 years (1974-2008) for Kafanchan located within latitude 9º 3'N and longitude
8º 17' E were used in this analysis in order to detect the recent trends in the rainfall regime of the area. The
calculated Relative Seasonality Index for the area revealed that rainfall regime is markedly seasonal with a long
drier season. In order to identify trends, the rainfall series was divided into 10-year overlapping sub-periods
1974-1983, 1979-1988 through 1999-2008 and the Cramer’s test was then used to compare the means of the
sub-period with the mean of the whole record period. The results of the test revealed that the sub-period
1974-1983 and 1999-2008 for the months of June and October respectively were significantly drier. The results
of the Standardized Anomaly Index revealed that rainfall yield is declining in the study area. The 5-year running
mean shows that the declining yield of the annual rainfall started from 1990 to date. The results of the linear
trend lines further revealed that the decline in the annual rainfall yield is predominantly as a result of the
substantial decline in July, September, and October rainfall, which are the critical months for agricultural
production in the area. It is recommended that agricultural planning and government policies in the area should
be based on recent rainfall trends.
Key words: Kafanchan, rainfall, standardized anomaly index, sub-period, trends, ,
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Cite this Reference:
I.B. Abaje, S. Ishaya, and S.U. Usman, . An Analysis of Rainfall Trends in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences, (2): Page No: 89-96.
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ISSN (Online): 2041-0492
ISSN (Print): 2041-0484 |
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