Secular Variation in Rainfall Intensity and Temperature in Eastern Australia

Abstract

It is generally assumed that rainfall intensity will increase with temperature increase, irrespective of the underlying changes to the average rainfall. This study documents and investigates long-term trends in rainfall intensities, annual rainfall, and mean maximum and minimum temperatures using the Mann-Kendall trend test for nine sites in eastern Australia. Relationships between rainfall intensities at various durations and 1) annual rainfall and 2) the mean maximum and minimum temperatures were investigated. The results showed that the mean minimum temperature has increased significantly at eight out of the nine sites in eastern Australia. Changes in annual rainfall are likely to be associated with changes in rainfall intensity at the long duration of 48 h. Overall, changes in rainfall intensity at short durations (<1 h) positively correlate with changes in the mean maximum temperature, but there is no significant correlation with the mean minimum temperature and annual rainfall. Additionally, changes in rainfall intensity at longer durations (=1 h) positively correlate with changes in the mean annual rainfall, but not with either mean maximum or minimum temperatures for the nine sites investigated.