Trends of Temperature Extreme Indices over Arusha and Kilimanjaro Regions in Tanzania

摘要

The study aimed at analyzing the trends and variability of temperature extremes over the northeastern highlands in Tanzania, specifically over Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions. Quality controlled mean monthly, daily maximum and minimum temperature data for the period 1961 to 2020, obtained from Tanzania Meteorological Authority, were used in the study. Rclimdex and the National Climate Monitoring Products (NMCP) software, developed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), were used for computation of the indices at a monthly, seasonal and annual time scale. The computed indices were also subjected to trend analysis to determine their direction and magnitude of change. Extraction and assessment of the top five highest and lowest maximum and minimum temperatures were also done. Increasing trends of temperature anomalies for seasonal and annual timescales were observed for both Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions. Also, the increasing trends of warm and extreme warm days and nights and relatively increasing trends of cold and extreme cold days and nights were observed for both regions. The highest ever recorded temperatures since the establishment of the two stations were 36.3?C observed on 16th February 2011 and 38.6?C observed on 22nd February 2005 for Arusha and Kilimanjaro respectively. These results indicate that The last two decades have been characterized by enhanced warming, which is consistent with overall global temperature trend patterns as depicted in recent IPCC reports and the report of the State of Climate in Africa.