Recent Extreme Precipitation and Temperature Changes in Djibouti City (1966–2011)

Abstract

A dataset of 23 derived indicators has been compiled to clarify whether the frequency of rainfall and temperature extremes has changed over the last decades in Djibouti City, eastern Africa. Results show that all precipitation indices have declined over the last decades, although only the very wet day frequency and the very wet day proportion present a significant decline. Annual total precipitation has decreased by 17.4% per decade from 1980 to 2011 and recent mean yearly rainfall (44mm on average from 2007 to 2011) meets a 73% deficit compared to the 30-year (1981–2010) average (164mm). The average temperature increase is ∘ ∘ +0.28 C per decade.Extremely warmdays (maximum tem∘perature ≥45.0 C) have become 15 timesmore frequent than in the past while extremely cool nights (minimum temperature ≤8.6 C) have almost disappeared. Current rainfall shortages and increasing temperature extremes are impacting local people who urgently need adaptation strategies. 1.