Climate assessment and trend analysis in air temperature and precipitation time series in Taubaté (SP)

Abstract

The main objectives of this paper are to present the temporal climatic characteristics of precipitation and air temperature in Taubaté (SP), in addition to the characterization of the rainy season. The time trend of the climatic elements were studied using the non parametric seasonal Mann-Kendall test. Statistically, no significant average changes in precipitation were detected although a relatively large natural year-to-year variability there exits. A short-term increasing trend from 1983 to 2005 have been observed in November precipitation, a decreasing trend in the amount of the April precipitation and a decreasing trend in the number of dry days per year. This study suggests that the onset of the Taubaté's rainy season occurs in mid-September and the end is in April.