Global Warming and the Sudan: Variation of Air Temperature over Sudan and South Sudan during the Last Fifty Years

Annual mean air temperature for Sudan and South Sudan for the periods 1961- 1990 and 1981-2010 was obtained as normal data for 19 stations for each period from Sudan Meteorological Authority and analyzed for variation with the course of time and for correlations between mean, maximum and minimum air temperature on the one hand and latitudes, longitudes and elevations on the other hand. The results showed an increase of about 0.30 degrees Celsius in the mean temperature of the 19 stations of the last period relative to the previous period. The maximum and minimum temperatures increased on the average by 0.47 and 0.27 degrees Celsius respectively. Both mean and minimum temperatures showed strong to moderate correlations with longitudes and altitudes, while latitudes showed no effects on air temperatures.

Keywords: Air temperature, variation, coordinates, elevation, Sudan.