Analysis of extreme weather events over Satara district of western Maharashtra using RClimDex model

Abstract

The study on Extreme temperature and precipitation based climatic indices was carried out at Department of Agricultural Meteorology, College of Agriculture, Pune entitled “Analysis of extreme weather events of Western Maharashtra using RclimDex model” during 2021-2023. Daily resolution data required for the monitoring, identification, and attributing to changes in the climatic extreme conditions for Satara district was obtained from website of India Meteorological Department, Pune. The extreme temperature and precipitation-based indices were calculated by using RClimDex model. The RClimDex model was developed and maintained by Xuebin Zhang and Yang Feng at the Climate Research Branch of the Meteorological Service of Canada. The Mann-Kendall trend test was used in this study to determine whether there was a statistically significant increasing or decreasing trend of indices. If significant trend was observed the Sen’s slope estimator test was employed to detect whether the trend is positive or negative. The data analyzed (40 years data) showed variations in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Out of the total 19 temperature-based extreme indices for Satara district, 6 indices showed a decreasing trend, 11 indices showed an increasing trend, and two indices did not occur in Satara region. In terms of the precipitation based indices over Satara district out of nine precipitation indices 7 indices showed significantly positive (increasing) trend whereas only two indices namely annual maximum consecutive 1-day precipitation (RX1day) and consecutive dry days (CDD) where maximum number of consecutive days with RR