Climatic classification and tendencies in Lavras region, MG

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the climatic data tendency in the last 14 years of monthly rainfall and temperatures in Lavras region, MG state, compared to those of the historical series of 1961-1990 period. The Thornthwaite's water balance method was employed for the climatological data of 1961-1990 and for the last observed data of 1991-2004. The Thornthwaite's & Mather's water balance method considers the potential evapotranspiration, the rainfall, the storage of water in the ground and its subsequent use. This method also shows hidric excess and deficiency periods, then used on the Thornthwaite's climatic classification method to determine the moisture and aridity index of the climate. The index resulted on the Thornthwaite's climatic formula wich changed from B-3 r B-3' a' to B-2 r B-3' a' in the most recent reiod. The Koppen climatic classification method, also employed in this work, showed no changes, remaining Cwa for both periods.