Trends and Interannual Variability of Extreme Rainfall Indices over Cameroon

Autor: Pierre H. Kamsu-Tamo, Guy Merlin Guenang, Derbetini A. Vondou, Tchotchou Lucie Angennes Djiotang
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: Sustainability
Volume 13
Issue 12
Sustainability, Vol 13, Iss 6803, p 6803 (2021)
ISSN: 2071-1050
DOI: 10.3390/su13126803
Popis: Central African citizens are highly vulnerable to extreme hydroclimatic events due to excess precipitation or to dry spells. This study makes use of CHIRPS precipitation data gridded at 0.05° × 0.05° resolution and extended from 1981 to 2019 to analyze spatial variabilities and trends of six extreme precipitation indices defined by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) over Cameroon. They are the number of wet days (RR1), the simple daily intensity index (SDII), the annual total precipitation from days greater than the 95th percentile (R95ptot), the maximum number of consecutive wet days (CWD), the maximum number of consecutive dry days (CDD), the number of very heavy rainfall (RR20). The standard precipitation index (SPI) time series were also examined in the five agro-climatic regions of the domain. The pattern of annual precipitation was first checked over the entire domain. We obtain a well-known pattern showing a decreased precipitation northward with the highest values around the Atlantic Ocean coast. The analysis shows that all indices represent patterns approximately similar to that of annual rainfall except CDD where the spatial south-north gradient is reversed. RR20 shows the lowest spatial variability. Trend study of RR1 indicates negative values south of the domain and predominated positive values in the northern part, where CDD, on the contrary, shows a decreased trend. The highest trends are observed in the northernmost area for CWD and around the coast for SDII and R95ptot. SPI time series indicate an alternative dry and wet period and the years between 1990 and 2000 witnessed more annual wet conditions. Such a study is very important in this domain where variabilities of climatic components are very high due to climate change impact and diversified relief. The results can serve as a reference for agricultural activity, hydropower management, civil engineering, planning of economic activities and can contribute to the understanding of the climate system in Cameroon.
Databáze: OpenAIRE