Trend Analysis of Climatic Parameters at Kurukshetra (Haryana), India and Its Influence on Reference Evapotranspiration

Abstract

This study has been undertaken to estimate the change in climatic parameters of Kurukshetra region, viz. annual average minimum and maximum air temperatures, annual morning and evening relative humidity, sunshine hours, wind speed, and rainfall, from 2000 to 2013 and hence its influence on reference evapotranspiration (ET0) as obtained by Penman–Monteith method. An Excel-embedded software MAKESENS (Mann–Kendall test for trend and Sen’s slope estimates) has been used for observing and estimating trends in the time series of reference evapotranspiration and climatic parameters. Sen’s slope analysis indicates that average annual maximum air temperature, wind velocity, and reference evapotranspiration show increasing trends with 0.08%, 0.12%, and 3.28% slopes, respectively, whereas decreasing trend is observed in average rainfall, relative humidity (morning), and sunshine hours with −12.0, −0.08, and −0.04%, slopes. The trends of minimum air temperature and relative humidity (evening) show no change. The positive trend in reference crop evapotranspiration indicates that the water demand required for different crops in various seasons will increase. This will warrant developing less water-intensive crops as water availability is already under stress.