Statistical Analysis of Rainfall and Temperature Variability in Chotanagpur Plateau, India

Precipitation and temperature have been widely considered starting points for the apprehension of climatic variability. The purpose of this work is to assess the progressive variability of rainfall and temperature for a healthier understanding of the meteorological status of the study area located in the Chotanagpur Plateau. The precipitation data refer to the period 1982–2011, and the temperature data are from 1982 to 2012. The Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator were applied to detect possible changes in annual, seasonal and monthly data. Analysis of rainfall data indicated an overall decreasing trend with a decrease in the number of rainfall days, but an increase in the number of erosive events. An increase in the maximum temperature and diurnal temperature range was observed. The minimum temperature showed a decreasing trend. The observed trends could prove to be damaging to the agricultural practices in the region.