Sea surface temperature variability in the tropical southeast Atlantic Ocean and West African rainfall

Abstract

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. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.