TREND ANALYSIS ON CLIMATE VARIABILITY IN KATHMANDU VALLEY

Abstract

The study of temperature and rainfall spatiotemporal dynamics is critical for assessing climate change. The current changes are distinctly more rapid and not due to natural causes but by anthropogenic activities. Various studies suggest that Kathmandu is one of the urbanized and polluted cities in Nepal. The main objective of this study was to assess the trend of climate in Kathmandu. This study was based on climatic data. It utilized the data from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology between 1991- 2020 based on Pani-Pokhari stations. Similarly, secondary data were collected from relevant literature including reports, journals, websites, and publications. linear regression analysis was performed to determine the climatic variability of the study area. The result showed that the year-wise precipitation trend was increasing at the rate of 0.07mm per year with rainfall distribution in the month of July. The seasonal trend analysis of precipitation shows that the rainfall was increasing during Monsoon and Winter while decreasing in the case of Pre-monsoon and Post- monsoon. There was an increase in both the minimum and maximum temperature at the rate of 0.0424°C/year and 0.1047°C/year respectively. The average temperature increased in the Summer and Winter seasons. Both maximum temperatures, as well as minimum temperatures, were increasing. Though the change is small, it takes no time to turn into a big one and create a serious impact on different sectors. So, immediate adaptive, as well as mitigating measures, should be taken to reduce the impacts of climate change in Kathmandu valley.