Temporal Analyses of Drought Intensities Occurrence within Recent Decades in Some Stations in Northern Nigeria

Abstract: This study was on temporal analyses of  drought intensities occurrences in recent decades in some stations in Northern Nigeria. The region experiences drought occurrence often. Data used were from 1941 to 2010. The Bhalme and Mooley Drought Index (BMDI) was used to categorize drought occurrences into invisible, mild, moderate, severe and extreme within the decades used. This was with the intention of finding out their percentages of occurrences over a 70 year period (1941-2010) in those stations. Results show that low intensity drought prevailed in Northern Nigeria during the study period. It also indicated that extreme droughts were confined to the decades between 1971 and 2000 in those stations. Apart from these findings, others were discussed in the study. Measures on how to ameliorate and mitigate the effects of droughts, especially the dominant intensity types on the people, community and environment were suggested.