Climate Change and Precipitation in Pakistan -A Meteorological Prospect

• Published in: International Journal of Economic and Environment Geology Vol. 4; no. 2; pp. 10 - 15
• Main Authors: Muhammad Sohail Gadiwala, Farkhunda Burke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Society of Economic Geologists and Mineral Technologists 01-12-2013
• ISSN: 2223-957X; 2223-957X

Pakistan has suffered prolonged periods of precipitation fluctuation that kept going on for decades. Shifting between such periods in northern and southern parts of the country often appears as a pace change. The object of this study is to assess prior changes in climatic patterns over various regions of Pakistan and the future magnitudinal changes of climate that would impact on water resources, which subsequently affect the ecosystem, health, food supply and country’s water resource sustainability. Trend and variability analysis have been applied on countrywide meteorological data for the period 1961-2010. The study revealed an increasing trend of 0.66oC in temperature and heavy and intense trend of 106 mm in precipitation during the past 110 years that has exacerbated food and water supply demand in the southern part of the country. This increasing heat of 0.06oC per decade speeds up the water cycle and evapo-transpiration processes. Atmospheric vapour pressure tendency has also demonstrated increasing trend of 0.96 mm per anum in water cycle. Extreme weather events resulting in droughts and floods reflect changes in climate. Pakistan has to combat water shortage by improving water reservoirs, regulating river water flow and adoption of other water conservation techniques to manage food and water supply – demand.