Estimation of water balance and climatic classification by the method of Thornthwaite and Mather for the city of Aracaju-SE

Abstract

The analysis of meteorological data of a given region is an important tool for environmental management, being the climatological water balance (BHC) one of the most used to characterize the inputs and outputs of water in the system. BHC also serves to classify the environment through the normal Climatologic and can check over time climatic variations in the same locality. The objective was to perform the water balance and climatic classification by the method of Thornthwaite and Mather (1955) for the city of Aracaju-SE. The study was conducted in the municipality of Aracaju-SE, obtaining data directly from INMET for the period 1961-1990 using the estimated water balance through the method proposed by Thornthwaite and Mather, and also held the climatic classification for the same period. After analysis of the data, it was found that the water balance presented a real evapotranspiration (ETR) and potential (ETP) of 1228,79 and 1544,78 mm, respectively, a water deficit of 315,98 mm and a water excess of 366,20 mm. Regarding climate classification, was found C2rA'a' climate, characterized as a sub-humid climate, with little or no water deficit (in the months of lowest rainfall), megathermal. Therefore, from the use of data monthly total precipitation and average monthly temperature was possible to perform the water balance and taking their input could be climatically classify the municipality of Aracaju-SE by the method of Thornthwaite (1948).