Trend Analysis of Temperature and Relative Humidity across the Climatic Zones of Nigeria

Abstract

This paper presents the trend analysis of temperature and relative humidity in the climatic zones of Nigeria using Mann-Kendall trend test. The daily Temperature and relative humidity data were obtained from Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) via the data bank of the West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adaptive Land Use (WASCAL) of the Federal University of Technology Minna for the period of Thirty-three years (1981-2014). In order to determine the nature of the trend and significance level, Mann-Kendall trend test and Sen's estimate were employed. From this study, it was observed that temperature shows a positive Kendall's Z value which indicates an upward and also, implies increasing trend over time. The result also indicates that there is a significant increase in the trend at 5% level of significance since (p-values (0.0001) <0.05). The results of the relative humidity also indicate that there is an increase in the trend at 5% level of significance since (p-values (0.0001) <0.05). It can also be seen from both the Mann- possibility of an increment in temperature and relative humidity. This could be due to the impacts of climate change and this leads to devastating Manntrend and also, implies increasing trend over time. The result also indicates that there is a significant increase in the trend at 5% level of significance since (p-values (0.0001) <0.05). The results of the relative humidity also indicate that there is an increase in the trend at 5% level of significance since (p-values (0.0001) <0.05). It can also be seen from both the Mann- possibility of an increment in temperature and relative humidity. This could be due to the impacts of climate change and this leads to devastating unfavorable changing in conditions in the study area. It is therefore recommended that the variability of temperature and relative humidity should be monitored in order to reduce its effects on human activities changing in conditions in the study area. It is therefore recommended that the variability of temperature and relative humidity should be monitored in order to reduce its effects on human activities