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Wetting tendency in the Central Mekong Basin consistent with climate change-induced atmospheric disturbances already observed in East Asia

Theoretical and Applied Climatology volume 111, pages 251–263 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Regional and local trends in rainfall intensity, frequency, seasonality, and extremes were analyzed in the central Mekong Basin in continental Southeast Asia over the period 1953–2004 using the modified Mann–Kendall test, accounting for long-term persistence and the regional average of the Kendall’s statistic. Regionally significant and insignificant wetting tendencies of the dry and wet seasons, respectively, were found to be consistent with rainfall alterations in the neighboring southeastern part of China and attributed by previous studies to the weakening of the East Asia Summer and Winter Monsoons. These observations suggest the existence of causal links between global warming and rainfall changes observed in continental Southeast Asia. Although these changes most likely did not alter agricultural production, they confirm the need to account for climate change impacts when assessing water resources availability in this region under rapid economic development.

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Acknowledgments

This study, which was produced as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), was supported by the Swedish International Development Agency and the International Water Management Institute. The authors are grateful to the Mekong River Commission for the provision of rainfall data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southeast Asia Regional Office, International Water Management Institute, P.O. Box 4199, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic

    G. Lacombe & C. T. Hoanh

  2. International Water Management Institute, Headquarters, P.O. Box 2075, Colombo, Sri Lanka

    V. Smakhtin

Authors
  1. G. Lacombe
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  2. V. Smakhtin
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  3. C. T. Hoanh
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Lacombe.

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Lacombe, G., Smakhtin, V. & Hoanh, C.T. Wetting tendency in the Central Mekong Basin consistent with climate change-induced atmospheric disturbances already observed in East Asia. Theor Appl Climatol 111, 251–263 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-012-0654-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-012-0654-6

Keywords

  • Daily Rainfall
  • East Asian Summer Monsoon
  • East Asian Winter Monsoon
  • Kendall Test
  • Rainfall Depth

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