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ABSTRACT
This study examined the rainfall trends in Northern Guinea Savanna region of Nigeria. Monthly rainfall data for sixty years (1951-2010), (Kaduna, Jos, Bauchi, Yelwa, and Yola) were collected from the archives of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Lagos. Methods of data analysis, the annual rainfall trends were examined using simple linear regression, Pearson’s product moment correlation was use to examine the relationship of annual rainfall among the selected synoptic stations, student t-test were used to examine the significant difference in annual rainfall between 1951-1980 and 1981-2010 and the change in mean rainfall for the selected stations between 1951-1980 and 1981-2010 were also investigated, the changes in monthly rainfall for the selected synoptic stations were investigated using their respective mean for the period 1951-1980 and 1981- 2010. The results reveal decreasing annual rainfall trends with Yelwa having the sharpest decrease while Bauchi witnessed increasing annual rainfall, there is a significant relationship in the annual variation of rainfall in Kaduna and Jos synoptic weather stations while there is no relationship in others. There is a significant difference between the rainfall trends of 1951-1980 and 1981-2010 in Kaduna and Jos synoptic weather station and there is no difference in others, Jos has the highest change in rainfall between 1951-1980 and 1981-2010 while Yola witnessed the lowest change, also Jos and Bauchi had the highest mean monthly variation of rainfall in the period 1951-1980 and 1981-2010 respectively. In conclusion, the relationship existing between Jos and Kaduna may be attributed to their proximity, also the decreasing rainfall witness in Yelwa and Yola may be attributed to their location in the extreme West and East respectively. From the result of the research it is therefore recommended that irrigation agriculture should be encouraged in the areas witnessing increasing rainfall while measures to check flooding should be put in place in the area witnessing increasing rainfall.
