Climate Change and Rainfall Trends During (1937-2021) Using Rainfall Anomaly Index (Rai) and Percent of the Normal Precipitation Index (Pnpi) in Kurdistan Region/ Sulaymaniah City

Abstract

The study aims to demonstrate climate change related to Rainfall trends in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq/ Sulaimaniyah. For this purpose, researchers used a descriptive-analytic method to analyze rainfall data from (1937-2021). In addition, this study benefited from several equations and statistical tests such as mean deviation, moving mean for (3, 5) years, Rainfall Anomaly index (positive & negative variabilities), and Percent of the Normal Precipitation index using the SPSS. One of the most important results of this study is that the average annual rainfall has decreased, especially after 1995. Also, the extreme and severe droughts have fallen in the last three decades of the research period, and rainfall fluctuations have become longer and higher in a way that in some years heavy rains are above the general average and far below the overall average in other years. Seasonally, the average annual rainfall in spring (in the first place) and winter (in Second place) has dropped slowly as well as in summer (in the first place) and autumn (in second place) have risen.