Assessment of rainfall characteristics of the early and late growing seasons during significant years of extreme little dry season in southwestern Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The study assessed rainfall characteristics of early growing season (EGS) and late growing season (LGS) during significant years of extreme little dry season (LDS) in southwestern Nigeria using 39 years’ daily rainfall totals. LDS’s rainfall of 16 years including 1982, 1997, 2000, and 2017 (Abeokuta); 1994 (Benin); 1987 and 2008 (Ikeja); 1989, 1995, 2006, and 2018 (Ilorin); 1988, 1997, and 2007 (Ibadan); and 1995 and 2017 (Ondo) were significant (α = 0.05 (upper and lower tailed) with the critical value Z = 1.645). While 13 years were positively significant, only 3 were negative. Increased LDS’s rainfall has reduced the EGS and LGS’s lengths, consequently distorting the timing of agriculturally important rainfall characteristics.

KEYWORDS:

• Early growing season (EGS)
• late growing season (LGS)
• little dry season (LDS)
• southwestern Nigeria
• wet and dry spells

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Adewale Oluwagbenga Adeyefa

Adewale Adeyefa is a young dynamic upcoming researcher who has developed interest in the physical aspect of Geography with special preference in the field of Climatology. He has obtained a B.Sc. degree in Geography from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, with second class (upper division) in the Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Science of the institution. His under graduate research was ”A Review of the Influence of the ITD on Inter-annual Rainfall Characteristics in Nigeria.” After the first degree, he proceeded to the University of Lagos for a Master program where he was awarded a degree of Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Geography with special option in Climatology. There, his research focused on rainfall distribution in Lagos Mainland Area of Lagos State. As a young man who has a quest for academic pursuit, he applied and was admitted for a Ph.D. degree program in Obafemi Awolowo University. And subsequently, having completed the approved course of study and fulfilled all the prescribed conditions, he was awarded a degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Geography.

Currently, Adewale Oluwagbenga Adeyefa is an academic staff member of the Department of Geography, Faculty of The Social Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. There, he is teaching courses in both the Physical and Applied Climatology.