Scientific Reports (Feb 2018)

Changes in Ugandan Climate Rainfall at the Village and Forest Level

  • Paddy Ssentongo,
  • Abraham J. B. Muwanguzi,
  • Uri Eden,
  • Timothy Sauer,
  • George Bwanga,
  • Geoffrey Kateregga,
  • Lawrence Aribo,
  • Moses Ojara,
  • Wilberforce Kisamba Mugerwa,
  • Steven J. Schiff

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-21427-5
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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Abstract In 2013, the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) refined the historical rainfall estimates over the African Continent and produced the African Rainfall Climate version 2.0 (ARC2) estimator. ARC2 offers a nearly complete record of daily rainfall estimates since 1983 at 0.1° × 0.1° resolution. Despite short-term anomalies, we identify an overall decrease in average rainfall of about 12% during the past 34 years in Uganda. Spatiotemporally, these decreases are greatest in agricultural regions of central and western Uganda, but similar rainfall decreases are also reflected in the gorilla habitat within the Bwindi Forest in Southwest Uganda. The findings carry significant implications for agriculture production, food security, wildlife habitat, and economic impact at the community and societal level.