Dynamics of the East African climate
Abstract
Results of studies on regional climatic trends and the factors controlling the
regional climate have been discussed in this paper. Potential impact of impending climatic
change on the natural resources and socio-economic activities has also been projected.
Well-recognised systems which control the space-time variation of rainfall and temperature
over the region .include the space time characteristics of (i) Intertropical convergence Zone
(lTCZ), (ii) Monsoonal wind systems (iii) Subtropical anticyclones (iv) Tropical cyclones (v)
Jetstreams (vi) EasteriyfWesterly wave perturbations (vii) Extra-tropical weather systems
(viii) Quasi-biennial oscillations and ENSO events with their telelinks.
No statistically significant trends have been observed in the inter-annual characteristics
of rainfall at most of the locations. Apart from urbanization signals from the large urban
centres, no statistically significant trends have been observed in the temporal temperature
patterns over the region. Inter-annual variation of temperature is seen to be inversely
associated with rainfall which in turn is also associated with ENSO signals. However, data
of mountain glaciers has shown depletion of glaciers but, the 'river flow data has not shown
any decreasing trend so far. The lake levels also reflect only' the inter-annual variations
attributable to wet and dry conditions.
Citation
Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Earth Planet. Sci.), Vol. 102, No.1, March 1993, pp. 203-217.Publisher
Department of Meteorology, University of Nairobi. Nairobi. Kenya