Does the global warming modify the local Rwandan climate?

Sascha M. Henninger

Department of Physical Geography, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany.

DOI: 10.4236/ns.2013.51A019                

Abstract

Analyses of climate measurement series from Rwandan weather stations revealed that the division into the four formerly described Rwandan climate zones is not correct any more. This could be shown in a more detailed analysis based on currently available data. In the course of discussions held with the Service Meteo Rwanda it emerged that the climate charts used in Rwandan atlases and school books are based on data covering the period from 1931 to 1960. Fortunately, since then a mass of new data have been collected, which, however, until now have only been evaluated in isolated instances for a specific local as needed. This led to the initiation of the ReCCiR project. The project’s aim was to conduct a regional climatic analysis covering all of Rwanda and visualizing it on new maps.

Keywords

Rwanda; Climate Change; Climate Zones; Central Africa

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Battistini, R. and Sirven, P. (1981) Géomorphologie. Atlas du Rwanda, Planche IV.
[2]	Petricec, V. (1981) Géologie. Atlas du Rwanda, Planche III.
[3]	Konig, D. (1992) Erosionsschutz in agroforstsystemen. In: Mainzer Geographische Studien, Heft 37.
[4]	Jatzold, R. (1981) Klimageographie—Ostafrika. In: Afrika-Kartenwerk, Beiheft 5, Gebrüder Borntrager, Stuttgart.
[5]	Michael, T. (2008) Diercke weltatlas. Westermann Schroedel Diesterweg Schoningh Winklers GmbH, Braunschweig.
[6]	Prioul, C. (1981) Précipitations. Atlas du Rwanda, Planche VI.
[7]	Bamusananire, E., Byiringiro, J., Munkyakazi, A. and Ntagaramba, J. (2006) Macmillian Rwanda—Primary social studies. Macmillian Publishers, Oxford.
[8]	Henninger, S. (2011) A mobile measuring methodology to determine near surface carbon dioxide within urban areas. In: Mazzeo, N., Ed., Air Quality—Models and Applications, InTech Press, Rijeka, 173-194. doi:10.5772/16549
[9]	Schonwiese, C.D. (2006) Praktische statistik für meteorologen und geowissenschaftler. 4. Auflage, Gebrüder Borntrager, Berlin, Stuttgart.
[10]	Stoyan, D. and Jansen, U. (1997) Umweltstatistik: Statistische verarbeitung und analyse von umweltdaten. Teubner Verlag, Leipzig.
[11]	Siebertz, K., van Bebber, D. and Hochkirchen, T. (2010) Statistische versuchsplanung. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-05493-8
[12]	Munyakazi, A. and Ntagaramba, J. (2006) Atlas du Rwanda. Macmillan Publishers, Oxford.
[13]	Adimola, B., Gahima, C., Kivuva M. and Mmbando, J.S. (2006) Atlas for east Africa. Pearson Longman Press, Essex.
[14]	Henninger, S. (2009) Urban climate and air pollution in Kigali, Rwanda. Proceedings of ICUC-07, Yokohama, 29 June-3 July 2009, 1038-1041.