Abstract
This study examined the trend in annual maximum and minimum temperature data in Ebonyi State using data collected from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency of Nigeria. The aim is to reveal the spatial and temporal variation in maximum and minimum temperature from 1984-2015. The study made use of statistical tool like linear regression to depict the trend in annual maximum and minimum temperature over time. Results indicate that maximum temperature possesses steepness in slope of 0.0046? and minimum temperature 0.002?. The maximum temperature equation shows a positive time trend which suggests that maximum temperature of Ebonyi State of Nigeria tends to increase over time. Decadal analysis of the climate variable revealed that the 1994-2003 decade has the highest maximum temperature followed by 2004-2015 decade and then 1984-1993. This shows that the 1984-1993 decade was cooler than the later decade which is a pointer to the increasing temperature being experienced in form of global warming with its attendant environmental consequences. The study therefore recommends that proactive measure like making accurate and appropriate weather and climate data available for planning should be encouraged by all to mitigate these consequences especially on population whose livelihood depends on agriculture that is temperature sensitive.
Highlights
Climate change has become one of the defining issues of recent times
This study examined the trend in annual maximum and minimum temperature data in Ebonyi State using data collected from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency of Nigeria
The maximum temperature equation shows a positive time trend which suggests that maximum temperature of Ebonyi State of Nigeria tends to increase over time
Summary
Climate change has become one of the defining issues of recent times. Climate change has resulted to changes in long term weather conditions on both local and global scale. As a result of this change in climate, there has been increase in global temperature resulting in warming of the earth. It is more certain than ever, that humans are changing Earth’s climate due to several activities embarked upon by man in the search to satisfy its needs (Diagi, 2017) This change has resulted in the warming of the atmosphere and ocean, accompanied by sea-level rise, a strong decline in Arctic sea ice and other climate related changes. Audu et al (2004) observed that there is a general rise in mean minimum temperature of 3°C per decade based on 40 years data from Nigeria. The least squares regression is used in the study to model the trends in temperature data over the 31 years period. A is the intercept; b is the regression coefficient or slope; y is the temperature values (dependent variable); x is the time in years (independent variable); xis the mean time; and is the mean temperature value
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