Trends of annual and seasonal precipitation times series in some locations of the Syrian Coastal region

In this study, trends of annual and seasonal precipitation time series for the period of (1971–2006) were analysed for three meteorological stations (Lattakia, Tartous and Safita) located in the coastal region of Syria, by linear regression and Spearman's rho tests. The results showed a decreasing trend of annual precipitation in Lattakia and Tartous stations and increasing trend in Safita station. At the seasonal time scale, a decreasing trends of winter precipitation in Lattakia station and of spring precipitation in all stations were observed. While an increasing trends of winter precipitation in Tartous and Safita stations and of autumn precipitation in all stations were observed. Although, all of these negative and positive linear trends, both at the annual and seasonal time scales are not statistically significant at 5% level, but they can have severe effects on water resources, rivers regimes and success of rain-fed crops in the study areas