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Dynamics of East African climate.
East Africa is enclosed between latitudes 50N- 120S and longitudes 290 and 420E (Ogallo, 1988, 1993). Its equatorial position and location on the East African plateau, the general circulation and continental character play a significant part in the nature of East Africa‟s climate (Martyn 1992), at the same time making it one of the meteorologically complex sections of the continent (Nicholson 1996). Ogallo (1993) indentifies the major climate parameter, which has the highest space-time variation over the region as rainfall.
Temperature however is another important factor that varies as you move away from the equator and also over the highlands. The systems which control the space- time characteristics of rainfall and temperature over the region according to Ogallo (1993) include; ITCZ, Monsoonal wind systems, Subtropical anticyclones, Tropical cyclones, Jet streams, Easterly/Westerly wave perturbations, extra tropical weather systems, El-Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, Quasi Biennial Oscillations(QBO), solar forcings, inter seasonal wave, etc. Various studies like (Ogallo 1984; Ogallo 1988; Ogallo et al. 1989; Anyamba 1992 and Ogallo 1993) and references there in, shed light on the dynamics of climate in EastAfrica. And recently Tierney et al. (2013) give a further insight on the influence of Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures on east African rainfall over multi-decadal timescales.
The regional system is also associated with complex topographical features and the existence of many large inland lakes that induce significant modification on the large-scale circulations especially near the surface (Nicholson 1996). The influence of lakes on a variety of scales on the regional weather and climate variability cannot be under estimated. Large lakes are regulators of regional climates (Anyah and Semazzi 2009). The ITCZ is another big influence on the climate of eastern Africa. Martyn (1992) explains that in January when the ITCZ is at around 150S, east Africa is within reach of the dry north easterly winds blowing down from the Arabian Peninsula and Somalia. On crossing the equator, the winds become north westerly. In April, the ITCZ lies over 50N when moist air masses of great depth blow off the Indian Ocean at right angles to the Kenyan and Tanzanian coasts and the mountain barriers.
In July when the ITCZ has moved to 150 N and an anticyclone has formed over the now much cooler south of Africa, dry, cool southerly and south easterly winds blow over equatorial east Africa. In October as the ITCZ returns south, winds are easterly. Nieuwolt, 1977 in Martyn (1992) observes that Monsoons over east Africa are relatively dry. The advection of moist air masses giving rise to precipitation takes place in the transition seasons, when the ITCZ is crossing into other hemisphere (Nicholson 1996). During the warm ENSO, for example eastern Africa receives abundant rainfall during the „short rains‟, which shows a strong relationship between ENSO and the eastern African climate (Schreck and Semazzi 2004).
SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Background to the study
1.3 Problem
1.4 Aims and objectives of the study.
1.5 Motivation and significance of the study
1.6 Conceptual base.
References
CHAPTER 2 Theoretical perspectives of climate, climate variability and livelihoods.
2.1 Climate ..
2.2 Livelihoods..
CHAPTER 3 Methodology
3.1 Research plan and study design
3.2 Selection of study site.
3.3 Sampling procedure
3.4 Data collection
3.5 Data analysis
SECTION 2 LONG TERM VARIATIONS AND TRENDS OF RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE IN UGANDA.
CHAPTER 4 The nature of rainfall in the main drainage sub-basins of Uganda. * .
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Data and analysis methods
4.3 Results and discussion
4.4 Discussion and summary .
CHAPTER 5. Variability properties of daily and monthly observed near-surface temperatures in Uganda: 1960 to 2008*
5.1 Introduction.
5.2 Data and methodology
5.3. Results and discussions.
5.4 Conclusions.
CHAPTER 6 Analysis of mid -twentieth century rainfall trends and variability over southwestern Uganda.*
6.1 Introduction.
6.2 Dataset and Methodology
6.3. Results and discussions.
6.4. Conclusions
CHAPTER 7. Climatic trends at Namulonge in Uganda: 1947-2009. *
7.1 Introduction.
7.2 Data and methodology
7.3 Results and discussion
7.4 Conclusions and recommendations
SECTION 3 ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE PERCEPTIONS AND LIVELIHOOD FORMATIONS IN UGANDA USING A CASE STUDY.
CHAPTER 8 Climate change and livelihood formation, evidence from three case studies in Uganda.
SECTION 4 ASSESSING AND CHARACTERISING WATER RESOURCES OF
UGANDA AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CLIMATE CHANGE.
SECTION 5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Appendix .
