Mudanças nas taxas de precipitação na cidade de Santa Helena, baixada maranhense

Abstract

The study investigated changes in precipitation rates in the northern portion of the Baixada Maranhense, focusing on the city of Santa Helena, from 1994 to 2023. It is justified by the relevance of understanding the influence of climate change, particularly in a region heavily reliant on subsistence activities and fragile ecosystems. Daily precipitation data were obtained from the Brazilian National Water Agency and analyzed using ETCCDI climate indices, correlating them with sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The results revealed that Pacific SST is associated with reduced intense rainfall during El Niño events, while the Tropical South Atlantic showed a positive correlation with increased precipitation. The discussion highlights how these global climatic phenomena modulate local variability, impacting water resource management and environmental planning. The study concludes that expanding climate monitoring and integrating it into public policies is crucial to mitigate the social and ecological impacts of extreme weather events in the region