Analysis of Temperature Trends over Limpopo Province, South Africa

Detailed analyses of trends in annual and seasonal minimum and maximum temperatures, as well as the diurnal temperature range, were investigated over Limpopo Province, South Africa, for the period 1950 to 1999. Daily data from 30 catchments were used to analyze the trends. Overall there was an increase of 0.12°C per decade in the mean annual temperature for the 30 catchments, over the 50 year period. A non-uniform pattern of changes in temperature was evident across the different catchments; 13% of the catchments showed negative trends while 87% showed positive trends in their annual mean temperature. Furthermore, 20% of catchments showed negative trends while 80% of catchments showed positive trends in their diurnal temperature range. The seasonal trends showed variability in mean temperature increase, of about 0.18°C per decade in winter and 0.09ºC per decade in summer. The significance of this work lies in the linkage of temperature to the hydrological cycle.