Spatial-Temporal Variations in January Precipitation over the Period of 1950-2000 in Pakistan and Possible Links with Global Teleconnections: Geographical Perspective

Iftikhar Ahmad^1*, Romana Ambreen¹, Shahzad Sultan², Zhaobo Sun³, Weitao Deng³

¹Department of Geography, University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan.
²Pakistan Meteorological Department, Islamabad, & Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
³Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster, Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China.

DOI: 10.4236/ajcc.2014.34033                

Abstract

Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) was performed to investigate spatial variation in January precipitation over Pakistan using ground observed mean monthly precipitation data from 1950-2000 with a combination of gridded reanalysis data of sea level pressure (SLP) and 500 hPa geopotential height. The leading EOF mode captures 37.51% of the total variance and the spatial-temporal variability of January precipitation was consistent in the study area. The temporal changes explicate non-periodic interannual variability and some tacit interdecadal variation. The anomalous condition is more prominent along the western bordering mountains and northern high mountainous region than any other region of Pakistan. Based on results the study reveals spatial-temporal variation in January precipitation and possible links with global teleconnections located both in the proximity as well as in the remote areas from the study locus.

Keywords

Pakistan, January Precipitation, EOF Analysis, Spatial-Temporal Variability

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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