Assessment of long-term climatic variability of Uttarakhand

Sujeet Kumar; Shakti Suryavanshi

doi:10.24294/nrcr.v3i1.744

Assessment of long-term climatic variability of Uttarakhand

Sujeet Kumar, Shakti Suryavanshi

Article ID: 744
Vol 3, Issue 1, 2020

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Abstract

A trend analysis was performed for historic (1901-2002) climatic variables (Rainfall, Maximum Temperature and Minimum Temperature) of Uttarakhand State located in Northern India. In the serially independent climatic variables, Mann-Kendall test (MK test) was applied to the original sample data. However, in the serially correlated series, prewhitening is utilized before employing the MK test. The results of this study indicated a declining trend of rainfall in monsoon season for seven out of thirteen districts of Uttarakhand state. However, an increasing trend was observed in Haridwar and Udhamsingh Nagar districts for summer season rainfall. For maximum and minimum temperature, a few districts exhibited a declining trend in monsoon season whereas many districts exhibited an increasing trend in winter and summer season. Mountain dominated areas (as Uttarakhand state) are specific ecosystems, distinguished by their diversity, sensitivity and intricacy. Thus the variability of rainfall and temperature has a severe and rapid impact on mountainous ecosystems. Nevertheless, mountains have significant impacts on hydrology, which may further threaten populations living in the mountain areas as well as in adjacent, lowland regions.

Keywords

Trend Analysis; Mann-Kendall Test; Climate Change; Uttarakhand State

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.24294/nrcr.v3i1.744