Precipitation Change in Kastamonu Between 1971 and 2022

Abstract

Although the Earth's climate has undergone many changes throughout geological periods, the effects of the changes that have occurred since the Industrial Revolution have been more noticeable. Recently, the amount of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, and nitrogen oxides, in the atmosphere has increased in parallel with the rising consumption of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Changes in precipitation, one of the main elements of the Earth's climate, play a crucial role in determining global climate variations and have contributed to the rapid climate change caused by the deteriorating ecological balance. Precipitation is a meteorological parameter that exhibits significant temporal and spatial variations. To determine the regional climate character, it is essential to consider changes in this parameter. Turkey is a country that is highly susceptible to short or long-term climate changes. Therefore, recent studies on climate change have focused on analyzing changes in precipitation. This study aims to determine temporal changes in precipitation, a meteorological parameter, on a regional scale. The study examines monthly average maximum precipitation, monthly average total precipitation, and annual total precipitation values measured between 1971-2022 at the central meteorological station of Kastamonu province over a 50-year period. The analysis of precipitation data was conducted in two distinct periods: 1971-1996 (25 years) and 1997-2022 (25 years). The maximum rainfall recorded between 1997-2022 was relatively higher than that recorded between 1971-1996. However, it was found that the annual average total precipitation in Kastamonu province increased by approximately 59 mm from 1971 to 2022.