Climate change is one of the most serious environmental and socio-economic problems of our time especially in arid areas. Sudan with the new boarders, most of its land classified as arid and semiarid regions, therefore it is very important to investigate the climate change in these areas. This research aimed to investigate the climate change reality in the arid zone in Sudan using rainfall and temperature data only. Five focal points (Kassala, Wadmedni, Eldouim, Elobied, Elfasher) were selected to represent the whole zone. The climate data of monthly and annual rainfall, minimum and maximum air temperature were obtained from Sudan Meteorological Authority (SMA) during the period from 1980 to 2010. Other climatic factors were calculated and estimated from temperature and rainfall data, such as: Potential Evapotranspiration, Cumulative Rainfall Departure, Effective Rainfall, rainfall coefficient of variance, Aridity Index and Standardized Precipitation Index. The relationship between rainfall and temperature were obtained. The period of this study (1981 – 2010), was divided into three decades and analyzed the different between each sub-period on rainfall and temperature using Duncan Multiple Range (DMR) at P ≥ 0.05. The trend of annual mean air temperature had been increased with statistically significant evidences in Kassala, Wadmedni, Eldouim and Elfasher stations; where annual rainfall trend had been increased with statistically significant evidences in Elobied station. Regarding other climatic factors: Potential Evapotranspiration trend showed significant increase in Kassala, Wadmedni and Elfasher stations; Cumulative Rainfall Departure trend showed significant increase in Wadmedni, Elobied and Elfasher stations; where Effective Rainfall, rainfall coefficient of variance, Aridity Index and Standardized Precipitation Index trends showed significant increase in Elobied station only. There were negative significant correlation between rainfall and temperature in Kassala and Elobied stations. There were no significant different between the three sub-period in annual rainfall in all stations except in Elobied station, where in mean air temperature showed significant different between the three sub-period in Kassala, Eldouim and Elfasher.
Elbasher et al. (Fri,) studied this question.