Spatiotemporal Distribution of Mean Temperature and Total Precipitation over Iraq for a Period (1980-2017)

Abstract

Temperature is closely related to climatic elements (such as pressure, wind, humidity, evaporation, precipitation) because these elements are directly or indirectly related to them, especially the elements of temperature and rain, which are the most important elements of climate. The aim of the study is to verify the average monthly temperature and the mean amount of total precipitation for a period of 38 years during the period (1980-2017), for selected stations from Iraq (Mosul - Baghdad - Rutba - Basra) in Iraq. Satellite data recorded by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast were used, and Mann-Kendall statistics were used for the purpose of calculating the monthly mean temperature and the amount of total precipitation. The results showed an increase in the mean temperature during the months (June, July, August and September), where the mean temperatures recorded an increase rate of more than 45, while the amount of precipitation recorded a decrease in its intensity with a decrease in its monthly mean for the months of winter and spring during the last decade (2010-2017), and some anomalies and extremes were recorded, especially during the decade (1990-1999), where they recorded fluctuation and variation in their monthly values between the increase and decrease in temperature and the difference in the values of the total precipitation rate, where the lowest value recorded for the average monthly free temperature at -3 for some extreme anomalies. This indicated that the behavior of the average temperature is affected by climatic changes and global warming, as well as the effect of this on the amount of total precipitation in terms of decreasing intensity as a result of high temperature rates, an increase in the amount of desertification, droughts and desertification and its impact on the environment in Iraq.