Climate Change in Kwara State, Nigeria: Evidence of Rainfall and Temperature Variations

Abstract

Factors such as temperature, precipitation, humidity, etc. affect the climate of a place.. Both temperature, and rainfall are necessary for environmental change and economic growth as well. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) provided the mean annual rainfall and maximum and lowest temperature from 2002 to 2022. The climate data was analyzed using both inferential and descriptive statistics. The results indicated that 2002 (75.2mm) was the driest year and 2008 had the most rainfall (122.5mm). The average rainfall in 2002 was 63%. The highest temperature ever recorded in a single year was 44.47°C, while the lowest was 28.28°C. In 2010, the mean annual temperature reached its highest peak of 40.26°C, whereas in 2014, the mean annual maximum temperature dropped to 24.25°C. A sequence of negative anomalies ranging from -3.5 to 31.7mm were found in the anomaly test results for the years 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016, indicating that these were dry years. In Ilorin, the weather alternated between nearly normal rainfall and extreme dryness. The year 2008 was noted for optimal rainfall, which indicated positive significance on agricultural production as well as negative effects such as submerging of flood-prone areas, and manifesting of waterborne disease that affect people's health in the study area. The year 2002 was noted for having the highest dry spell, indicating possible drought and low productivity of agriculture. The study concluded that variations in temperature and rainfall had a big impact on the socio-economic status of the people living in Ilorin.