Global Warming and Changing Temperature Patterns over Mauritius

Abstract

This paper discusses the changing temperature pattern over Mauritius. We observe an increase of the annual mean temperature at Pamplemousses since 1876 with an average rate of 0.009^oC per year with a significant correlation coefficient of 0.67. Compared to the mean temperature for the period of 1951 to 1960, we find that there is a shift in time (decadal) in the warming from northwest to other regions over the island. The temperature deviations are more marked in winter than in summer. Moreover, the number of hot days per year is increasing and the number of cold days is decreasing.

Keywords: Temperature spatial variation, trend, hot and cold days, krigging