The climatological regions of Tanzania based on the rainfall characteristics

Abstract

In this paper, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to delineate the raingauge network of Tanzania into homogeneous groups. The monthly rainfall records for the years 1961–1990 inclusive at 150 raingauge stations used in the study were extracted from the records at the Directorate of Meteorology, Tanzania. The spatial patterns of the rotated PCA dominant modes delineated Tanzania's raingauge network into 15 homogeneous groups. Statistical tests, climatological information, topographic features and other data supported the physical reality of the 15 delineated groups. The delimited rainfall regions may be useful for Tanzania in agricultural planning, the assessment of water resources potential, delineation of drought or flood risk zones and as a basis of ensuring collection of climatologically representative rainfall data by the inclusion of a station(s) from each homogeneous rainfall region. Copyright © 1999 Royal Meteorological Society