An analysis of Skukuza climate data

Abstract

Data from the climate station at Skukuza, which has been open from 1912 to the present, are analysed. This exercise was done to provide the South African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI-2000) experimental program with long-term climate statistics and trends. Climate parameters analysed are rainfall, temperature, humidity and sunshine. In the case of rainfall and temperature, the data was first tested for homogeneity and in only three out of 36 monthly cases, the data proved not to be homogeneous. No monthly rainfall trends proved to be significant (at the 5 % level), with five months indicating slightly negative trends and seven slightly positive. Only the monthly maximum temperature series for June proved to be non-homogeneous. The June maximum temperature trend and the February, March, May, July and December minimum temperature trends were significantly positive. The annual time series for minimum temperature were also significantly positive. The monthly results were reiterated by the seasonal results, with the winter maximum temperature trend and the autumn and summer minimum temperature trends significantly positive. Ten months showed negative temperature diurnal range trends with only March being significant. All long-term statistics of rainfall, temperature, humidity and sunshine were found to be typical of a savanna type climate in the southern hemisphere, although average monthly sunshine hours were somewhat less than the norm, due to frequent influx of moist air from the Mozambique Channel.