An Investigation of Recent Climate Change in Southern Ukraine
Zapukhliak, Liudmyla
Citations
Abstract
Southern Ukraine is a transition zone between two major climate change “hot-spots” in Europe. However, little is known about how the climate of this region has changed over the past several decades. Understanding climate change impact on agriculture in southern Ukraine, as one of the major producers of grains in the world, is crucial for local and global food security. Based on statistical analysis and visualization of temperature and precipitation datasets for 1981- 2018, this study showed a faster than global mean annual temperature increase (about 1.8-2°C in 37 years) and found signs of the intra-annual precipitation redistribution in southern Ukraine. Precipitation trends show an increase in January (39% - 79%) and a decrease in August (38% - 43%) in parts of the study region. The summer temperature rise is the primary driver of the climate types shift toward warmer climates in the Köppen-Geiger classification and increasing summer soil-water deficit.