Rainfall trends and intensity-frequency-duration relationships in Sharjah City, UAE

Abstract

Trend analysis is important to understand effects of climate change and variability on rainfalls. In this study, rainfall and heavy rainfall trend analysis were performed for Sharjah City, UAE. Moreover, rainfall intensity-frequency duration (IFD) relationship was studied by fitting heavy rainfall data to extreme value distributions. Mostly decreasing rainfall trends were detected for short storm durations, whereas statistically non-significant rainfall trends were detected for long storm durations. Also, statistically non-significant increasing trends were detected in heavy rainfalls in Sharjah City. Heavy rainfall data sets were fit successfully to extreme value distributions, and rainfall IFD relationship was created for Sharjah City. Despite the availability of limited data for study area, this study contributed to better understanding of variations in rainfall and heavy rainfalls in Sharjah City. Moreover, derived rainfall IFD relationships by frequency analysis of generated heavy rainfalls provide significant input for water infrastructure projects in Sharjah City.