Observed climate changes in the Toplica river valley : Trend analysis of temperature, precipitation and river discharge

Changes in air temperature, precipitation, and the Toplica river discharge were investigated. Annual and seasonal climatic data were collected at weather stations Kursumlija and Prokuplje, and discharge data on hydrological gauges Pepeljevac and Doljevac. The data covered a period of 62 years (1957–2018). Mann-Kendall and Pettitt’s tests have been applied for the periods 1957–2018, 1957–1987, 1988–2018, and 1975–1994, which we find as very important period when atmospheric circulation was altered. Mean annual temperature and precipitation were greater in the second half-period, while the discharge was smaller, even all the signals had growth trend. Mean seasonal temperature increased for all seasons, as well as precipitation, except for summer (JJA). The discharge is lower in the second half-period for almost all seasons, with signs of recovery for all seasons except summer.