Knudsen, Carina. 2023: Factors influencing interannual variability of Belg rain in Ethiopia. Master’s thesis, University of Bergen, Norway. https://bora.uib.no/bora-xmlui/handle/11250/3059081

Summary: The aim of this thesis is to investigate the factors affecting the interannual variability of the Belg rain in Ethiopia, in addition to see in which degree the NorESM can capture these factors. A significant connection was found between Belg rain and five ocean regions: Agulhas current, the northern and southern patch of the PMM, Benguela Niño, and the Indian Ocean. There was also found a connection between Belg rainfall in Ethiopia and a negative NAO index and La Niña events. The results showed that the wind pattern over the Indian Ocean is a large contributor, in addition to the Subtropical Westerly Jet. The weather in Ethiopia is highly variable, and capturing this variability has been a major challenge. Investigating the factors causing interannual variability is an important step in improving seasonal predictions and climate services. These predictions can contribute to warning systems in case of extreme events, which is important due to Ethiopia’s dependence on agriculture.

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