Drought and el nino phases in Zimbabwe

The desk study was carried out to assess the frequency of drought associated with the various phases of the El Nino. Southern Oscillation index (SOI) values were analysed to determine El Nino or La Nina years. Three meteorological definitions of drought were used to establish one which correlates be...

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Main Authors: Shoko, Kampion, Shoko, Nothabo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Midlands State University 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11408/715
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author Shoko, Kampion
Shoko, Nothabo
author_facet Shoko, Kampion
Shoko, Nothabo
author_sort Shoko, Kampion
collection DSpace
description The desk study was carried out to assess the frequency of drought associated with the various phases of the El Nino. Southern Oscillation index (SOI) values were analysed to determine El Nino or La Nina years. Three meteorological definitions of drought were used to establish one which correlates best with the El Nino or La Nina years. Annual mean rainfall data from the meteorological department ranging from 1901 to 1997 saved as the data base for the study. The corresponding annual mean SOI values for the same period were obtained from the Australian Weather Bureau website. For a particular year, the annual mean rainfall was correlated to the previous and current monthly mean SOI values. Analysis of the SOI values revealed that the probability of El Nino occurrence is 47 % and that of La Nina is 49 %. Results from the definitions of drought revealed that the probability of the occurrence of El Nino induced drought was 34% and the probability of the occurrence of La Nina induced wet years was 30 % . The study recommends that more detailed research be carried out on the association of ENSO phases and Zimbabwe’s rainfall pattern to improve the precision of the current seasonal rainfall forecasting model.
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spelling ir-11408-7152022-06-27T13:49:06Z Drought and el nino phases in Zimbabwe Shoko, Kampion Shoko, Nothabo Drought, Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), EL Nino, annual mean rainfall, EL Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) The desk study was carried out to assess the frequency of drought associated with the various phases of the El Nino. Southern Oscillation index (SOI) values were analysed to determine El Nino or La Nina years. Three meteorological definitions of drought were used to establish one which correlates best with the El Nino or La Nina years. Annual mean rainfall data from the meteorological department ranging from 1901 to 1997 saved as the data base for the study. The corresponding annual mean SOI values for the same period were obtained from the Australian Weather Bureau website. For a particular year, the annual mean rainfall was correlated to the previous and current monthly mean SOI values. Analysis of the SOI values revealed that the probability of El Nino occurrence is 47 % and that of La Nina is 49 %. Results from the definitions of drought revealed that the probability of the occurrence of El Nino induced drought was 34% and the probability of the occurrence of La Nina induced wet years was 30 % . The study recommends that more detailed research be carried out on the association of ENSO phases and Zimbabwe’s rainfall pattern to improve the precision of the current seasonal rainfall forecasting model. 2015-10-12T08:43:37Z 2015-10-12T08:43:37Z 2014 Article 1815-9036 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/715 en The Dyke;Vol. 8, No. 3; p.17- 32 open Midlands State University
spellingShingle Drought, Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), EL Nino, annual mean rainfall, EL Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
Shoko, Kampion
Shoko, Nothabo
Drought and el nino phases in Zimbabwe
title Drought and el nino phases in Zimbabwe
title_full Drought and el nino phases in Zimbabwe
title_fullStr Drought and el nino phases in Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed Drought and el nino phases in Zimbabwe
title_short Drought and el nino phases in Zimbabwe
title_sort drought and el nino phases in zimbabwe
topic Drought, Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), EL Nino, annual mean rainfall, EL Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
url http://hdl.handle.net/11408/715
work_keys_str_mv AT shokokampion droughtandelninophasesinzimbabwe
AT shokonothabo droughtandelninophasesinzimbabwe