Summary
Mean monthly rainfall data of 28 meteorological stations in Nigeria for the period 1911–1980 are analysed to examine trends in precipitation patterns in the country. Specifically, four 40-year periods (1911–50, 1921–60, 1931–70 and 1941–80) have been studied in detail.
Results show three prominent features. First, both the amount and area of the secondary rainfall maximum at 9°–10°N latitude in Nigeria has depreciated with time. Second, the belt of relative minimum rainfall, with its east-west axis almost coincident with the channels of the rivers Niger and Benue, appears to be expanding with time. Last, while places north of 8°N latitude (the mean axis of the belt of relative minimum rainfall) receive 90–100% of the annual total rainfall from April to October, fluctuations of the wet or rainy season contribution to total annual rainfall further south is about 84–88%.
These aberrations, which imply a decrease in the dry season contribution to the annual rainfall, suggest a drier environment in the long-term, especially if drought spells of the type 1969–73 and 1979–84 become a regular feature in West Africa. The planning implications are discussed in relation to water-use problems.
Zusammenfassung
Mittlere Monatssummen des Niederschlags von 28 meteorologischen Stationen in Nigeria von 1911–1980 wurden analysiert, um Trends in den Niederschlagsverteilungen des Landes zu untersuchen. Insbesondere wurden die 40-Jahresperioden 1911–50, 1921–60, 1931–70 und 1941–80 bearbeitet.
Die Ergebnisse zeigen drei bedeutende Merkmale. Erstens, Menge und Niederschlagsgebiet des sekundären Maximums in 9–10° nördlicher Breite wurden kleiner. Zweitens, der Gürtel eines relativen Niederschlagsminimums, dessen Ost-West-Achse fast mit den Flußläufen von Niger und Benue zusammenfällt, scheint sich auszudehnen. Und schließlich, während Orte nördlich von 8° nördl. Breite (der Hauptachse des Niederschlagsminimums) 90–100% der Jahressumme von April bis Oktober empfangen, beträgt die Schwankung des Anteils von Regen- und Trockenzeit weiter im Süden 84–88%. Diese Abweichungen, die eine Abnahme des Anteils der Trockenzeit zum Gesamtniederschlag bedeuten, lassen in Zukunft eine trockene Umwelt erwarten, besonders wenn die Trockenperioden von 1969–73 und 1979–84 sich wiederholen sollten. Es werden die Folgen für die Planung des Wasserverbrauches diskutiert.
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Adefolalu, D.O. Rainfall trends in Nigeria. Theor Appl Climatol 37, 205–219 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00867578
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00867578