Trend Analysis of Rainfall Patterns in Rajnandgaon District, Chhattisgarh, India

Climate is a crucial determinant of an area's vegetation, wildlife, and livability, influenced by long-term atmospheric characteristics and fluctuations. Precipitation, particularly rainfall, plays a vital role in the Earth's hydrological cycle, connecting weather, climate, and water resources. This study focuses on Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh, India, with an average annual precipitation of 1274mm. Analyzing trends, we identify changes in certain properties over time. The findings indicate that rainfall variability, measured by the coefficient of variation, is lowest during June to September (CV < 76%). Monsoon rainfall displays the least variability (CV of 30.88%), while pre-monsoon rainfall and winter rainfall exhibit higher variability (CV of 33.83% and 208.48%, respectively). The analysis also reveals a significant decreasing trend in annual, monsoon, and September rainfall. However, May rainfall shows a significant increase at a 5% level of significance. The study utilizes the non-parametric Mann-Kendall and Sen's Slope Estimator tests, employing monthly rainfall data from 1988 to 2018 for Rajnandgaon district, Chhattisgarh.