Statistical Investigation of the Interrelations among Weather Parameters in Nigeria
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study investigates the interrelations among weather parameters in Nigeria using the Principal component method. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a multivariate technique that reduces the dimensionality of a data set consisting of a large number of interrelated variables, while retaining the characteristics present in the data set. Daily weather data on air temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity, precipitation and wind speed was obtained from National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) for the period of 37 years (1984-2020). The first Principal Component is positively correlated with wind speed, solar radiation and air temperature, and negatively correlated with precipitation and relative humidity. The second Principal Component is positively correlated with precipitation, relative humidity, solar radiation and air temperature and negatively correlated with wind speed. The first two (three) Principal Components account for 81% (93%) of the total variance of the observed weather parameters. The variation among all of the weather parameters for Yobe, Kastina, Borno, Sokoto, Kebbi, Yola, Kano, Kogi and Ekiti can be explained by a single principal component (PC1) made up of Precipitation and Relative humidity.
Downloads
Article Details
References
Abiodun, B.J., Salami, A.T and Tadross, M. (2011). Climate Change Scenarios for Nigeria: Understanding the biophysical impacts. A Report by the Climate Systems Analysis Group, Cape Town, for Building Nigeria’s Response to Climate Change Project.
Akinsanola, A.A. and Ogunjobi, K.O. (2017). Recent homogeneity analysis and long-term spatio-temporal rainfall trends in Nigeria. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 128, 275–289.
Akinsanola, A. A. and Ogunjobi K. O. (2014). Analysis of Rainfall and Temperature Variability Over Nigeria. Global Journal of Human-Social Science, 14 (3):1-10.
Amadi, S.O., Udo, S.O., and Ewona, I.O. (2014). Trends and Variations of Monthly Mean Minimum and Maximum Temperature Data over Nigeria for the Period 1950-2012. International Journal of Pure and Applied Physics, 2 (4):1-27.
Augustine, C. and Nnabuchi, M. N. (2009), “Relationship Between Global Solar Radiation and sunshine hours for Calabar, Port Harcourt and Enugu, Nigeria”, International Journal of Physical Sciences, 4(4):182-188.
Awachie, I. R. N and Okeke, C. E. (1990). New empirical solar model and its use in predicting global solar irradiation. Nigerian J. Solar Energy, 9, 143-156.
Ewona, I. O and Udo, S. O (2011). Climatic conditions of Calabar as typified by some meteorological parameters. Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 17(1): 81-86
Ezekoye, B. A., Ezekoye, V. A., Ike, P. O. and Nwanya, A. C., (2011), Estimating Monthly Solar Radiation of Nsukka Using Some Temperature Based Radiation Models. Nigeria Journal of Solar Energy, 22, 67–70.
Falayi, E.O, Rabiu, A.B and Teliat, R.O. (2011). Correlations to estimate monthly mean of daily diffuse solar radiation in some selected cities in Nigeria. Advances in Applied Science Research, 2 (4):480-490.
Falayi, E. O. (2013). The Impact of Cloud Cover, Relative Humidity, Temperature and Rainfall on Solar Radiation in Nigeria. Energy and Power, 3(6): 119-127.
Landau, S. and Everitt, B.S. (2014). A Handbook of Statistical Analyses using SPSS CHAPMAN & HALL/CRC. A CRC Press Company Boca Raton London New York Washington, D.C.
Nnabuenyi, H. O., Okoli, L. N., Nwosu, F. C. and Ibe, G. (2017). Estimation of Global Solar Radiation Using Sunshine and Temperature Based Models for Oko Town in Anambra State, Nigeria. American Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 3 (2): 8-14.
Odjugo, P.A.O. (2011). Climate Change and Global Warming: The Nigerian Perspective. Journal of Sustainable and Environmental Protection, 1(1): 6-17.
Ogolo, E.O and Adeyemi, B. (2009). Variations and trends of some meteorological parameters at Ibadan, Nigeria. The Pacific Journal of Science and Tech, 10(2): 981 – 987.
Olofintoye, O.O. and Sule, B.F (2010). Impact of global warming on the rainfall and temperature in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. USEP Journal of Research Information and Civil Engineering, 7(2): 33 – 48.
Stull, R. (2017). Precipitation Processes. Meteorology for Scientists and Engineers, 3rd Ed. http://www.eos.ubc.ca/books/Practical_Meteorology/.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2016. Climate change indicators in the United States. Fourth edition. EPA 430-R-16-004. www.epa.gov/climate-indicators.