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Sea surface temperature variability in the tropical southeast Atlantic Ocean and West African rainfall
Author(s) -
Reason C. J. C.,
Rouault M.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2006gl027145
Subject(s) - tropical atlantic , african easterly jet , tropical wave , sea surface temperature , climatology , oceanography , boreal , geology , tropical cyclone , paleontology
Evidence is presented of a connection between sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the tropical southeast Atlantic Ocean off Angola and boreal summer rainfall over coastal West Africa. The strongest relationships exist between April–May SST in the Angola‐Benguela Frontal Zone area, May–June latent heat fluxes in this area, and July–August rainfall over the region 5°W–5°E, 5°N–10°N. Anomalously wet summers in this region are also characterised by a weaker African Easterly Jet, a stronger Tropical Easterly Jet and, in many cases, reduced rainfall further north over the Southern Sahel.