Contact Us | Site Map
 
  Global Change Impact Studies Centre
                     Islamabad, Pakistan
 
  APN Research Projects
 
  Home
  About us
Advisory Committee
  Objectives
  Research Areas
  Publications
Research Contracts
Collaboration
Capacity Building
Contact Us
 
  Gallery

Visitors

Photos

 

Development and Application of Climate Extreme Indices and Indicators for monitoring Trends in Climate Extremes and their Socio-economic Impacts in South Asian Countries
(APN 2005-10-NSY)



The project was awarded by Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN), Japan, jointly to Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC) and Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) to analyze the trends in extreme daily temperatures and rainfall using the climate data for the period 1971-2000 in the case of temperature and 1961-2000 for precipitation. A total of 209 precipitation and 160 temperature stations over the five South Asian countries comprising Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were analyzed. The raw daily temperature and precipitation data for the whole period was passed through extensive quality control and homogeneity testing using software like RClimDex and RHTest. Trends in climate extremes were calculated using 19 core indices, 11 for temperature and 8 for precipitation. Results are drawn on country basis as well as on regional basis.
 

Objectives

The main objectives of the project were:

  • To build/enhance the capacity of the participants from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
  • To prepare and archive metadata as a data base for each participating country for use in further studies
  • To consolidate the results for a publication in an international journal


Participating Countries

  • Developing Countries:
    1. Bangladesh (Lead Organization, LO: Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad, BUP)
    2. India (LO: Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, IITM) Nepal (LO: Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, DHM)
    3. Pakistan (LO: Global Change Impact Studies Centre, GCISC & Pakistan Meteorological Department, PMD)
    4. Sri Lanka (LO: Department of Meteorology)
  • Developed Countries and International Organizations:
    1. Australia (Lead Organization): Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre, BMRC)
    2. U.S.A. (LO: Stony Brook University, New York) 

Work Undertaken

The work undertaken is summarized as under:

  • Collection, digitization and preparation of metadata using appropriate software like RClimdex and Rhtest 
  • A week-long APN Regional Workshop on Climate Extreme Indices and Indicators for South Asia in Islamabad during the period 2-6 January, 2006. Scientists from the participating countries developed expertise in the use of softwares like Rclimdex and RHtest for the quality control and homogenization of daily climate data and in the development of trends in climate extreme indices
  • A 3-Day Concluding Meeting on Climate Extremes for South Asia was held in Islamabad during the period 21-23 August, 2006. The Team Leaders/ representatives from the participating countries developed trends in 19 out of 27 ETCCDMI (Expert Team on Climate Change Detection Monitoring and Indices) core indices. These included 11 indices for temperature and 8 indices for precipitation
  • Consolidation of results for international publication. (It is in the process of being completed).The purpose of this paper is to summarize the state of our knowledge of possible future changes in the statistical aspects of weather and climate extremes. (Meehl G.A. et al; 2000)


Regional Picture

  • All the temperature indices TXx, TXn, TNn except TNx has increased across the South Asia region.TNx has increased in Sri Lanka and India whereas it has decreased in Bangladesh and Nepal and evenly poised in Nepal
  • Cool nights have decreased whereas the warm nights increased in all the participating South Asian Countries
  • Cool days have decreased and warm days increased across the region
  • Very wet days (R95p) and extremely wet days (R99p) have increased in Nepal, Pakistan and India whereas these have decreased in Sri Lanka but a mixed trend in Bangladesh

Precipitation total (PRCPTOT) has increased across the region except in Sri Lanka where it has decreased. Indian values are not available.

 

 
  News / Updates
  Today is  6/1/2009 Checkout our latest updates and news.

 

  Search
     
 
 
Powered By

     

   
   
   

GCISC Copy Rights (c) 2006