Climate of Ghana

A Köppen climate classification map of Ghana.
Tropical climatic Lagoons and Vacation Holiday Resorts in Dodi Island on the Volta Lake.

The climate of Ghana is tropical.[1] The eastern coastal belt is warm and comparatively dry, the south-west corner of Ghana is hot and humid, and the north of Ghana is hot and dry.[2] Ghana is located on the Gulf of Guinea, only a few degrees north of the Equator, giving it a warm climate.[3]

Climate

The climate of Ghana is tropical and there are two main seasons: the wet and the dry seasons.[4] North Ghana experiences its rainy season from April to mid-October while South Ghana experiences its rainy season from March to mid-November.[4] The tropical climate of Ghana is relatively mild for its latitude.[4] The harmattan, a dry desert wind, blows in north-east Ghana from December to March, lowering the humidity and causing hotter days and cooler nights in northern part of Ghana.[4]

Average daily temperatures range from 30°C (86°F) during the day to 24°C (75°F) at night with a relative humidity between 77 percent and 85 percent.[5] In the southern part of Ghana, there is a bi-modal rainy season: April through June and September through November.[5] Squalls occur in the northern part of Ghana during March and April, followed by occasional rain until August and September, when the rainfall reaches its peak.[5] Rainfall ranges from 78 to 216 centimeters (31 to 85 inches) a year.[5]

Climate data for Ghana
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 30.1
(86.2) 		31.2
(88.2) 		31.6
(88.9) 		31.0
(87.8) 		30.0
(86.0) 		28.3
(82.9) 		27.1
(80.8) 		26.8
(80.2) 		27.4
(81.3) 		28.6
(83.5) 		30.0
(86.0) 		29.5
(85.1) 		29.2
(84.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 24.5
(76.1) 		25.8
(78.4) 		26.2
(79.2) 		26.2
(79.2) 		25.4
(77.7) 		24.6
(76.3) 		23.5
(74.3) 		23.2
(73.8) 		23.6
(74.5) 		24.2
(75.6) 		24.3
(75.7) 		24.1
(75.4) 		24.6
(76.3)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 13.6
(0.54) 		40.3
(1.59) 		88.2
(3.47) 		115.7
(4.56) 		160.7
(6.33) 		210.4
(8.28) 		121.3
(4.78) 		88.9
(3.50) 		133.0
(5.24) 		128.1
(5.04) 		56.5
(2.22) 		24.6
(0.97) 		1,184.1
(46.62)
Average rainy days 2 2 5 7 11 14 7 6 8 9 4 2 77
Average relative humidity (%) 79 77 77 80 82 85 85 83 82 83 80 79 85
Mean monthly sunshine hours 214 204 223 213 211 144 142 155 171 220 240 235 2,372
Source: weatherbase.com[5]


Climate change in Ghana

This section is an excerpt from Climate change in Ghana.[edit]
This bar chart is a visual representation of the change in temperature in the past 100+ years. Each stripe represents the temperature averaged over a year. The average temperature in 1971–2000 is set as the boundary between blue and red colors, and the color scale varies from ±2.6 standard deviations of the annual average temperatures between the years mentioned in the file name.

What is Climate Change? Climate change refers to long-term shifts and alterations in temperature and weather patterns, primarily due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes. These activities increase the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to global warming and associated changes in climate patterns.

Climate change in Ghana is impacting the people in Ghana in several ways as the country sits at the intersection of three hydro-climatic zones.[6] Changes in rainfall, weather conditions and sea-level rise[7] will affect the salinity of coastal waters. This is expected to negatively affect both farming and fisheries.[8]

The national economy stands to suffer from the impacts of climate change because of its dependence on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, energy, and forestry. Moreover, access to freshwater is expected to become more challenging while reduced water supply will have a negative impact on hydropower, which provides 54% of the country's electricity capacity.[8] Additionally, Ghana will likely see more cases of malaria and cholera since changes in water conditions impact both.

In 2015, the government produced a document titled "Ghana's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution".[9] Following that, Ghana signed the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016. The Intended Nationally Determined Contribution after 2016 became the Nationally Determined Contributions commonly referred to as NDCs, which was reviewed in 2021.[10]

A 2023 report by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service noted that Ghana "is vulnerable to rising sea levels, droughts, increasing temperatures, and unpredictable rainfall which negatively impacts infrastructure, hydropower production, food security, and coastal and agricultural livelihoods".[11]

THE CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN ACCRA

Climate change in the other hand refers to the long-term warming of the planet, which is normally cause by greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere, examples included : water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2),methane(CH4) etc.

Unpacking the Causes of Climate Change in Accra: A Growing Concern

Accra, Ghana - Thursday, July 14, 2022

Climate change is a pressing global issue, and Accra, the capital city of Ghana, is not immune to its impacts. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and increased flooding are just a few of the challenges facing the city. But what are the causes of climate change in Accra?

[12]According to a study published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B (2020), the main causes of climate change in Accra are:

1. Burning of fossil fuels: The widespread use of fossil fuels for transportation and energy generation is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Accra.

Location: Tema Thermal Power Plant, Accra's main power plant, which burns fossil fuels to generate electricity.

Time: Peak hours, 7 am - 9 am, and 4 pm - 6 pm, when energy demand is highest.

Reference: "Greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion in Ghana" (Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B, 2020).

[13]2. Deforestation and land-use changes: The rapid urbanization of Accra has led to widespread deforestation and land-use changes, contributing to climate change.

Location: The Achimota Forest, a former forest reserve now largely converted to urban development.

Time: 2000 - 2020, a period of rapid urbanization in Accra.

Reference: "Land use changes and their impact on climate change in Ghana" (Journal of Environmental Management, 2020).

[14]3. Waste management practices: Improper waste disposal and lack of effective waste management strategies contribute to greenhouse gas emissions in Accra.

Location: The Korle-Bu dumping site, one of Accra's largest waste disposal areas.

Time: Daily, 6 am - 6 pm, when waste is collected and disposed of.

Reference: "Municipal solid waste management in Accra, Ghana" (Waste Management, 2020).

In conclusion, climate change is a pressing issue in Accra, driven by fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and poor waste management practices. Understanding these causes is crucial for developing effective strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the city.

References

  1. ^ Igawa, Momoko; Kato, Makoto (2017-09-20). "A new species of hermit crab, Diogenes heteropsammicola (Crustacea, Decapoda, Anomura, Diogenidae), replaces a mutualistic sipunculan in a walking coral symbiosis". PLOS ONE. 12 (9): e0184311. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1284311I. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0184311. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 5606932. PMID 28931020.
  2. ^ "Ghana high plains". photius.com. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  3. ^ "Ghana: Geography Physical". photius.com. Retrieved 24 June 2013., "Ghana: Location and Size". photius.com. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d "UNDP Climate Change Country Profile: Ghana". ncsp.undp.org. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Ghana Travel Weather Averages (Weatherbase)". Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Ghana at a glance". climatelinks.org. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  7. ^ "Ghana's coastline, swallowed by the sea". UNESCO. 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  8. ^ "NDC Registry (interim)". unfccc.int. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  9. ^ Dave, Radhika; Saint-Laurent, Carole; Murray, Lara; Antunes Daldegan, Gabriel; Brouwer, Rens; de Mattos Scaramuzza, Carlos Alberto; Raes, Leander; Simonit, Silvio; Catapan, Marisete (2019-06-27). Second Bonn Challenge progress report: application of the Barometer in 2018. IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.ch.2019.06.en. ISBN 978-2-8317-1980-1.
  10. ^ Tuebner, Robert (7 June 2023). "Ghana Climate Change Report" (PDF). USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  11. ^ (Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B, 2020).
  12. ^ (Journal of Environmental Management, 2020)
  13. ^ (Waste Management, 2020).

External links

  • Ghana – Weather Averages
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