Spatio-Temporal Trends in Precipitation, Temperature, and Extremes: A Study of Malawi and Zambia (1981–2021)

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Title: Temporal Trends in Precipitation and Temperature: A Study of Malawi and Zambia (1981-2021)

Manuscript Number: sustainability-2953639

 The manuscript presents a comprehensive analysis of long-term climate changes in Zambia and Malawi, focusing on precipitation, maximum and minimum temperatures, and potential evapotranspiration from 1981 to 2021. The use of high-resolution datasets and statistical methods is commendable, and the results provide valuable insights into the trends and patterns of climate change in these regions.

Overall, there are no problems in the writing style and analysis, and the logic was clear. However, the innovation and scientific research of this study is insufficient, and only the characteristics of temperature and precipitation changes in the past 40 years are analyzed, which is not enough. It could be improved by incorporating more innovative elements and exploring a broader range of topics related to climate science in these regions. To enhance the comprehensiveness and relevance of the study, I suggest that the authors consider incorporating additional content such as climate patterns and extreme climate events.

e.g., add the extreme climate patterns, including both spatial and temporal variations, are crucial for understanding the complex interactions between atmospheric processes and the Earth's surface. Analyzing these patterns could provide insights into the underlying mechanisms driving climate change in Zambia and Malawi.

e.g., add the extreme climate events, such as droughts, and heatwaves, have significant impacts on local communities and ecosystems. Incorporating an analysis of these events into the study would not only strengthen the argument but also provide valuable information for developing adaptation strategies.

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Comments on the Quality of English Language

No comments

Author Response

We appreciate the reviewer for dedicating their time and providing valuable, detailed feedback. We have diligently addressed all of the comments and discussed them as follows (see attachement).

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

We appreciate the reviewer for dedicating their time and providing valuable, detailed feedback. We have diligently addressed all of the comments and discussed them as follows (see attachement).

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Much improved.

Other comments:

 Figure 1:

-where is the location of Malawi and Zambia? Add the text names. As well as mark the study region in the larger scale.

-“Prcp” or “Pr”, they should be consistent.

-we often use “potential evapotranspiration” as “PET”, “evapotranspiration” as “ET”

In addition, some formatting problems in the article need attention and unity, e.g., improve and unify the font size and format in the figures throughout the manuscript.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

No comments.

Author Response

We appreciate the reviewer for dedicating their time and providing valuable, detailed feedback. We have diligently addressed all of the comments and discussed them as follows.

Figure 1:

-where is the location of Malawi and Zambia? Add the text names. As well as mark the study region in the larger scale.

-“Prcp” or “Pr”, they should be consistent.

-we often use “potential evapotranspiration” as “PET”, “evapotranspiration” as “ET”

Authors´ response:

• Thank you for your feedback! We have made the necessary changes, including adjusting "Pr" to "Prcp" for precipitation and specifying the longitudes to indicate the locations of Malawi and Zambia. Additionally, we have corrected "evaporanspiration" to "potential evapotranspiration" (PET).

“Figure 1. Average annual precipitation (Prcp, mm), potential evapotranspiration (PET, mm), maximum temperature (Tmax, °C) and minimum temperature (Tmin, °C) for the period 1981-2021 for Malawi (longitude: 32.7°-36°) and Zambia (longitude: 22°-34°). ”

In addition, some formatting problems in the article need attention and unity, e.g., improve and unify the font size and format in the figures throughout the manuscript.

Authors´ response:

• Thank you! We have made the necessary modifications to ensure uniform font and format throughout the manuscript.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors additionally improved the quality of the paper, so I suggest the publication in its current form

Author Response

We appreciate the reviewer for dedicating their time and providing valuable, detailed feedback.