Editing IPCC:AR6/WGII/Chapter-9 (section)

===== 9.5.4.2.1 Observations =====

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The severe lack of station data over the region leads to large uncertainty in the estimation of observed rainfall trends and ''low confidence'' in changes in extreme rainfall (Figure 9.13b; [[#Creese--2018|Creese and Washington, 2018]] ; [[#Gutiérrez--2021|Gutiérrez et al., 2021]] ; [[#Ranasinghe--2021|Ranasinghe et al., 2021]] ). There is some evidence of drying since the mid-20th century through decreased mean rainfall and increased precipitation deficits ( [[#Gutiérrez--2021|Gutiérrez et al., 2021]] ), as well as increases in meteorological, agricultural and ecological drought ( ''medium confidence'' ) ( [[#Seneviratne--2021|Seneviratne et al., 2021]] ). However, there is spatial heterogeneity in annual rainfall trends between 1983–2010 ranging from −10 to +39 mm per year ( [[#Maidment--2015|Maidment et al., 2015]] ), with a decline in mean seasonal April–June precipitation of −69 mm per year in most regions except in the northwest ( [[#Zhou--2014|Zhou et al., 2014]] ; [[#Hua--2016|Hua et al., 2016]] ; [[#Klotter--2018|Klotter et al., 2018]] ; [[#Hu--2019|Hu et al., 2019]] ). Southern and eastern central Africa were identified as drought hotspots between 1991–2010 ( [[#Spinoni--2014|Spinoni et al., 2014]] ).

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