Assessment of annual minimum temperature in some parts of northern Nigeria

Abstract

This work attempts investigating the pattern of minimum temperature from 1971 to 2006, an attempt was also made to predict the pattern from 2007 to 2030. The aim of the study therefore is to see the behaviour of minimum temperature as we study Climate Change in Northern Nigeria. This will enable us to know the trend of change for this study period. The following objectives helps in achieving the set aim; determine variations in minimum temperature, determine the trend of minimum temperature in the study area and predicting the values of the element for the period, 2007 – 2030, this was also subjected to time series analysis. The data was collected from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Maitama, Abuja. The length of data was thirty-six (36) years from eleven (11) stations. Simple Statistical Measures of mean, median, maximum, minimum, standard deviation, variance, skewness, kurtosis and coefficient of variability were used for discerning the patterns and distribution of minimum temperature. The results achieved indicate that the study area could be divided into two on the basis of low minimum temperature (1970s and 1980s) and high minimum temperature (1990s and 200s). During the predicted period, 2007 – 2030, mean annual minimum temperature continue to increase from 21.1°c in 2007 to 21.5°c in 2030. Minimum temperature varies slightly in the region, and it has not varied significantly over the study period.

Keywords: Annual, Minimum temperature, predicted, variability, Northern Nigeria