Changes and trends in Precipitation the example of Sinop Hopa (Black Sea) coastal zone in Turkey

34th International Geographical Congress, İstanbul, Türkiye, 16 - 20 Ağustos 2021, cilt.1, sa.2, ss.45

The study area covers the area in the middle and east part of the Black Sea coastal zone. This area includes the

central and eastern black sea districts. In particular, the Eastern Black Sea district is the only area that is close to the

oceanic climate in Turkey. In this area, precipitation is distributed equally throughout the year. Sinop, Samsun, Ordu,

Giresun, Trabzon, and Rize are important settlements in the region. In this study, precipitation data provided by the

Turkish State Meteorological Service. It has been tested whether the long-term annual total precipitation data are

homogeneous or not. For this purpose, Pettitt’s, SNHT, Buishand’s tests were applied. Long-term changes and trends

in the data were analyzed using the Mann-Kendall test.

Change points in precipitation data determined the 1980s and early 1990s. For long-term changes in precipitation,

the early 1980s can be considered as the beginning of significant change. Especially in the last 20 years, very

important changes have been experienced in the precipitation. There is an increasing tendency in more than 80% of

the stations in total annual precipitation. The humid and dry periods are quite evident and long-term at all stations.

The 1970s to the mid-1980s experienced less than average precipitation. After the 1980s, the effects of the humid

period in which long-term rainfalls above average were observed. According to the Mann-Kendall test, the beginning

of trends at some stations in the late 1980s and early 2000s. Since these change points, significant changes have

occurred in precipitation data. Increases in total annual precipitation are also statistically significant.