Present Variability and Future Change in Onset and Cessation of the Rainy Season Over Peru

Abstract

Changes in patterns of accumulated rainfall, as well as the rainy season onset, cessation and duration, can impact the availability of water resources and sectors such as agriculture, affecting the livelihoods of the population. The knowledge of these changes is crucial for regions driven by strong precipitation variability such as the Andean countries. Therefore, the aim of this work is to determine the present and future spatio‐temporal patterns of the onset, cessation and duration of the rainy season in Peru. For this purpose, we analysed in a first step the present variability and trends in 11 homogeneous regions using data from 377 ground stations for the period 1981–2019. The results showed significant trends (1981–2019) of earlier onset and increased duration only in the Southern Peruvian Amazon (Madre de Dios River basin). Furthermore, the accumulated rainfall has significant trends of increases in North East Andes, Northern and Southern Amazon. In a second step, we assessed future changes of the rainy season from an ensemble of statistically downscaled CMIP6 climate scenarios. A two‐tailed Student t‐test was used to evaluate the significance of changes. Two future time slices (2031–2060 and 2071–2100) relative to the reference period (1981–2010) were analysed. Future changes of the rainy season showed significant delays in the onset for the Central East Andes, South West Andes and Amazon regions in the period 2071–2100. Likewise, the rainy season duration presents future significant reductions in regions of the central and southern Andes under the SSP2‐4.5 scenario. Moreover, the accumulated precipitation is projected to increase significantly in the Pacific slope and Andes regions, mainly under the SSP5‐8.5 scenario. These findings are particularly important for sectors like agriculture, energy and water resources management.