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PUBLICATIONS

Weather and Climate of Ghana
This publication is an account of the weather and climate of Ghana primarily designed for the agriculturalist and hence is mainly concerned with atmospheric conditions at or near the earth's surface.

Topics discussed include

• Circulation of the atmosphere over West Africa,
  
• Circulation of the atmosphere over Ghana, and
  
• Weather Zones in West Africa
  
• Mean values of climatological elements such as
  
• Length of day, Solar Radiation, Sunshine, Cloud amount,
  
• Rainfall, and Temperature, for Ghana as a whole, as well as for some specific cities and towns in the country are also provided.
  
• Other element considered include
  
• Surface Winds, Humidity,
  
• Evaporation, Evapotranspiration and Pressure
  
• Climatological Statistical Information on Weather Phenona such as
  
• Line squalls Thunderstorms and
  
• Hail can also be found in this Publication

A large appendix of valuable climatological statistics of some fifteen (15) towns and cities in Ghana can also be found at the end of the publication.

Probability Distribution of Annual Rainfall in Ghana

In the realm of applied climatology, there is constant need of predicting certain meteorological variables. Prediction is used in a wide sense to include the ability to make probability statements of future events.

Annual rainfall is one of the most important climatological variables on which such prediction is required for planning and design purpose in the field of hydrology and agriculture. To be able to make such probability statements successfully, the frequency or cumulative distribution of the annual rainfall must be specified. In cases where statements are required at a single place and on a single sample of annual rainfall, all that may be required is to fit an empirical cumulative distribution to the sample data. But where statements are to be made in many places in the country, it is a great advantage if a simple theoretical distribution can be found which fits samples of annual rainfall from all the different places in the country.

This publication explores the possibility of using such a simple theoretical distribution to construct maps of annual rainfall with specified probabilities for Ghana.

Climatic Maps of Ghana for Agriculture

The publication is specially designed to serve general requirements on agroclimatology and contains substantial amount of climatological data and information with emphasis on the presentation in the form of maps, which are easy to interpret and use.

It was undertaken in general response to many requests from agriculturists, economists, engineers, educationists and hydrologists for climatological information and advice for land-use and/or economic planning and operational purpose.

A thorough knowledge of local climate and its probable anomalies is essential for successful land-use planning as well as economic planning. Information of this publication could as such be afford in a wide area for planning purposed.

Maximum Rainfall Intensity-Duration Frequencies in Ghana

Today water resources planning has become so sophisticated that it can almost be called an academic discipline in itself like no other subject it has brought together scientists from a variety of fields notably civil engineering, hydrology, regional and national planning and economics.

Water resources planning takes into cognizance not only data requirements themselves but also the relationship between the quality of available data on the one hand and the various planning techniques on the other hand.

The publication is designed to assist civil engineers as well as other interested users to arrive at suitable design criteria for the many engineering projects such as dams, bridges, culverts, and other forms of water resources developments that may undertaken in the country.

Mean Monthly and Annual Rainfall Maps

The following information can be found in the above publication.

• MONTHLY ISOHYETAL PATTERN - drawn from rainfall data for the
  period (1931-1960).
  
  
• ANNUAL ISOHYETAL PATTERN - have also been presented.

Annual and Monthly isohyetal patterns, drawn from data for the period 1961-90, are also now available at the department.

Ten-day Rainfall Totals

This publication contains ten-day total rainfall amounts for over 160 stations scattered through out the country. Copies are available at the Department.

• Agrometeorological Bulletin

This is a monthly publication of selected climatological data of agricultural importance.

Observed values (OBS) and the departures of these values from the long period averages (DEP) are given for the elements except: -

1. Relative Humidity where only observed values are given.

2. Wind Run per day in (KMS) where observations only are given.

3. Mean Daily Evaporation Class A Pan where only observed values are given.

4. Mean Daily Solar Radiation where reliable values are now available.

• Annual Summary of Climate Observations in Ghana
  
  

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