Long-Term Variations of Climate Parameters in Kerala

Changes in climatic parameters are observed globally. According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sixth Assessment Report (IPCC AR6), climate change is due to a change in carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere. The main purpose of this study is to detect the trends of the climate variables associated with the Land, Water and Atmosphere between the periods of 1971 to 2022 using Mann-Kendall trend analysis. In this study, trend analysis has been carried out for various climate variables associated with the change in climate, i.e., Air Temperature, Mean Total Precipitation Rate, Relative Humidity, Sea Level Pressure, Sea Surface Temperature, Horizontal wind and Vertical Wind. The study relies on daily data from ECMWF and NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis 1 for Kerala, India. Mann-Kendall’s trend analysis determines the significant trends in these variables. The results indicate a general upward trend in air temperature, relative humidity, sea level pressure, and sea level temperature. In contrast, mean total precipitation rate exhibits varying trends across different months. Conclusions drawn from the analysis attribute trends observed in the time series that can be taken as an indicator of climate change. The long-term changes of these variables could lead to the occurrence of extreme events, necessitating further studies to establish it.