The Spatial Pattern Assessment of Annual Rainfall in Iraq for Periods from 2001 to 2023

Abstract

Abstract This study aims to investigate the patterns of the annual rainfall in Iraq from 2001 to 2023 using data obtained from NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The period of study was divided into five periods, each spanning five years (except the first, and the fifth period), to analyze annual rainfall variations. Spatial distribution maps and descriptive statistics were generated to assess rainfall patterns across different regions of Iraq. Results indicate significant variability in rainfall amounts and distributions over the study interval, with the northeastern and southeastern strip regions consistently receiving higher rainfall than western and southwestern areas. During the first period (2001-2004), the highest maximum annual rainfall was in 2002 (912 mm/year), in contrast, the second period (2005-2009) recorded the lowest maximum annual rainfall in 2008 by about (439 mm/year). Analysis of the mean annual accumulative rainfall for each period illustrated that the first period 2001-2004 incorporated the highest maximum value of mean annual accumulative rainfall and standard deviation by about 765 mm/4 years, and 160.5 respectively. In contrast, the fifth period 2020-2023 has the lowest maximum value and standard deviation which reached 512 mm/5 years, and 89.2 correspondingly. Mean annual accumulative rainfall decreased over time, suggesting potential impacts of climate change on precipitation patterns in Iraq. These findings provide valuable insights for understanding and managing water resources, agriculture, and environmental sustainability in the region.