Approaching of May maximum surface air temperature to characteristic summer season for Baghdad city

Abstract

Seasonal variability is the complex non-linear response of the physical climate system. There are two types of natural variability: those external and internal to the climate system. In any given season, natural variability may cause the climate to be different than its long-term average. This study examines with the seasonal variation of the maximum temperatures during the summer season. In addition, the maximum temperatures in May become close to the characteristics of the summer season. The monthly data for maximum temperature of May, June and July were used from Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology (IMOS) for 47 years from 1970 to 2017 for Baghdad city. This period was long enough to estimate the range of approaching maximum temperature (Tmax) May to summer. Results revealed a significant Tmax for Baghdad during the second period (1992–2017) and ‎shown similar behavior of Tmax in May to June and July; on the contrary that first period (1970–1991). In second period, two phases have been found out, positive phase and negative phase. The positive phase were happened in 1995, 1999, and 2006, and the negative phase was four cases (1992, 2004, 2013, and 2016), while a few cases recorded in first period. The amplitudes of monthly variability had same distance of leaner correlation especially in 1999 and 2013 that represent coherent wave with summer seasons. The variance difference for Tmax between May and June approximately was 2°C for second study’s period, while exceed this range in first period. This variance change to 7.5°C when found difference between July and May.