🤖 AI Summary
This study addresses the lack of high-resolution, site-scale spatiotemporal analyses of land surface temperature in Ghana, which has hindered understanding of local climate characteristics and their implications for agriculture and public health. Leveraging daily maximum and minimum temperature records from 22 meteorological stations spanning 1983–2021, this work presents the first multi-site, long-term, high-resolution trend analysis for the country. Data were rigorously quality-controlled and homogenized following World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standards and integrated with AgERA5 reanalysis data. Modified Mann-Kendall tests and Sen’s slope estimator revealed pronounced asymmetric diurnal warming: minimum temperatures rose significantly faster than maximum temperatures, leading to a persistent decline in diurnal temperature range. These findings underscore the urgent need for site-specific, seasonally tailored climate adaptation strategies.
📝 Abstract
Surface temperature is a fundamental Essential Climate Variable, serving as a primary indicator of climate change and exerting a profound influence on ecosystems, agriculture, and human livelihoods. Although existing research provides a foundation for understanding the climate of Ghana, there remains an opportunity to enhance this landscape with granular station-level analysis. Such high-resolution analysis complements existing studies by capturing localised climatic nuances. This study conducts a detailed spatio-temporal analysis of temperature trends across 22 meteorological stations from 1983 to 2021. Using daily maximum (Tmax) and minimum (Tmin) observations, data were subjected to quality control, homogeneity testing, and homogenisation according to World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) standards, using AgERA5 reanalysis as a reference.The significance and magnitude of trends were determined using the Modified Mann-Kendall test, which is robust in handling potential effects of autocorrelation, and Sen's slope estimator. Results revealed that temperature trends in Ghana are highly localised and seasonal, highlighting the necessity for more studies of this nature. A critical finding is the asymmetric warming across the country, with minimum temperatures rising at an accelerated rate compared to maximum temperatures. This narrowing of the diurnal temperature range poses significant threats to agricultural stability and public health because nocturnal cooling is diminished. These findings underscore the urgent need for site-specific, seasonal climate monitoring to inform customised adaptation strategies. To mitigate these impacts, the study recommends a robust policy framework focusing on afforestation and the transition to green energy.