Varia%ons in climate indicators of Nepal
Soni M. Pradhanang, University of Rhode Island, USA Nir Krakauer, City College of New York, USA
Ram Chandra Karki, Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Nepal
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• An index is a set of parameters or indicators that describe a situa4on. The indices described here are climate indices, i.e., they tell us how the climate evolves in the studied area.
O=, W. 1978. Environmental Indices: Theory and PracHce Indices are used to summarize and present a complex set of mul4variate (several variables at the same 4me) changes so that the results can be easily understood and used in policy decisions made by non-‐specialists in the field.
PHYSICAL
PROCESS
BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES
CLIMATE CHANGE FORCINGS
} $ IMPACTS CRO
P
FOREST MIGRATION
YIELD
COASTAL
HABITAT
$
1) How has the climate changed or varied?
2) How well do we understand the climate system ?
3) What are the causes of climate change and variability?
4) How can we characterize the impacts of climate change?
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• Related to frost FD, IDO
• Related to Temperature SU25, GSL, TXx, TNx, TXn, TNn, Tn10p,Tx10p, Tn90p, Tx90p, WSDI, CSDI, DTR
• Related to rainfall and humidity RX1day, RX5day, SDII, R99p, R95p, CDD, PRCPTOT, R10, R20
CLIMATE INDICES
Frost Related
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Num
ber o
f Frost Days
Years
Frost Days
Bhairahawa Biratnagar Kathmandu Okhaldhunga Taplejung
Indices related to temperature
363.8
364
364.2
364.4
364.6
364.8
365
365.2
0 5 10 15
GSL in days
Growing Season Length (GSL)
Bhairahawa Biratnagar Kathmandu Okhaldhunga Taplejung
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
SU in days
Summer Days
Bhairahawa Biratnagar Kathmandu Okhaldhunga Taplejung
Climate Indices of Precipita%on and Humidity
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
PRCP
TPT in m
m
Total PrecipitaSon (PRCPTOT)
Bhairahawa Biratnagar Kathmandu Okhaldhunga Taplejung
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
SDII
Simple Daily Intensity Index (SDII)
Bhairahawa Biratnagar Kathmandu Okhaldhunga Taplejung
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
R95 in m
m
PrecipitaSon in 95th PercenSle (R95mm)
Bhairahawa Biratnagar Kathmandu Okhaldhunga Taplejung
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
R10 in m
m
PrecipitaSon in 10th PercenSle (R10mm)
Bhairahawa Biratnagar Kathmandu Okhaldhunga Taplejung
Q: Why do extremes maAer? A: Users are planning for them!
PEOPLE’s vulnerability
rural / urban
CLIMATICVARIABILITYa) inter annual variabilityb) extreme events
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
ENVIRONMENTLand availabilitySoil sealing (urbanization)Soil degradation, erosion Water availabilityGroundwater depletionWater pollutionDeforestation
STRESSOR EXPOSURE & Sensitivity
ADAPTIVE CAPACITY
AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT& TECHNOLOGYCrop choiceIrrigationInput (fertilizer,…)
ECONOMICGDP/capitarural/urbanAccess to markets
POPULATION STRUCTUREAge distributionEducation
POLICY & INSTITUTIONSInvestment in infrastructureLand tenure
SOCIOECONOMICMacroeconomic impactPolicies (land tenure, irrigation infrastructure)
