- Title
- Historical annual rainfall changes on the Central Coast of NSW: further evidence of alternating rainfall regimes
- Creator
- Erskine, W. D.; Townley-Jones, M.
- Relation
- 32nd Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium (H2009). H2009: Proceedings of H2009, the 32nd Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium (Newcastle, N.S.W. 30 November - 3 December, 2009) p. 36-47
- Relation
- http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au
- Publisher
- Engineers Australia / Causal Productions
- Resource Type
- conference paper
- Date
- 2009
- Description
- Historical annual rainfall data for 16 long-term stations on the Central Coast of NSW show significant multidecadal periods of alternating high and low rainfall which we call, flood- and drought-dominated regimes. Rainfall was high between 1863 and 1900; low between 1901 and 1948; high between 1949 and 1990; and low between 1991 and 2008. CUSUMS are usually significantly different between each time period according to non-parametric statistical tests. Mean annual rainfall decreased by up to 22.4% between 1863-1900 and 1901-1948, increased by up to 38.2% between 1901-1948 and 1949-1990 and decreased by up to 27.2% between 1949-1990 and 1991-2008. Spatial coherence of the rainfall changes throughout the Central Coast indicates that they are not the artefact of a change in the site, height, exposure or type of rain gauge but represent real changes in meteorological conditions, possibly connected to El Niño-Southern Oscillation events and/or Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation phases.
- Subject
- rainfall; Central Coast (N.S.W.); weather patterns; climate variability
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/919552
- Identifier
- uon:8912
- Identifier
- ISBN:97808258259461
- Language
- eng
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