An investigation into the role of synoptic conditions on Central African precipitation variability

Sinclaire Zebaze; Raju Pathak; A. J. Komkoua Mbienda; Wilfried Pokam Mba; Popat Salunke; Abhishek Anand; Derbetini Appolinaire Vondou; André Lenouo; Saroj Kanta Mishra

doi:10.1007/s11600-022-00754-2

An investigation into the role of synoptic conditions on Central African precipitation variability

Sinclaire Zebaze, Raju Pathak, A. J. Komkoua Mbienda, Wilfried Pokam Mba, Popat Salunke, Abhishek Anand, Derbetini Appolinaire Vondou, André Lenouo, Saroj Kanta Mishra

Physical Sciences and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The synoptic precipitation variability over Central Africa (CA) in the March-to-May (MAM) and September-to-November (SON) seasons is investigated in this study. The composite analysis is used to highlight the evolution of synoptic precipitation, related convection, and dynamic fields. Composite analysis findings show that synoptic precipitation anomalies increase/fade with an increase/decrease in convection, with the largest amplitude over 5° S–10° N and 2.5–20° E in MAM and 5° N–7.5° N and 5–15° E in SON. Precipitation anomalies and convection associated with the synoptic variability progress eastward preceded (followed) by eastward (westward) low-level wind. This synoptic sequence is associated with a downward motion and an inflow, indicating the storm’s presence, which contributes significantly to precipitation initiation over CA. The empirical orthogonal function for precipitation during the SON season is lower than that observed during the MAM season in the context of the size and spatial pattern. During these precipitation occurrences, the zonal moisture component contributes the most to the moisture initiation over the region. The findings of this study show that the observed convergence/divergence position remains unchanged in intensity irrespective of the positive/negative precipitation events. Overall, the synoptic-scale conditions in MAM contribute around 58% of the total variability in precipitation.

Original language	English (US)
Journal	Acta Geophysica
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11600-022-00754-2
State	Published - Mar 18 2022

Bibliographical note

KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2022-04-21
Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank NOAA ( http://www.cdc.noaa.gov ) for GPCP, OLR and NCEP datasets. This research work is partly supported by the DST CoE in Climate Modeling. The authors are thankful to the ECMWF for providing Era-Interim products available. The authors are also grateful to the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive and helpful suggestions which contributed to improve the manuscript.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geophysics

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10.1007/s11600-022-00754-2

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@article{4150e5b5c3ac413896095ca7866d2b05,

title = "An investigation into the role of synoptic conditions on Central African precipitation variability",

abstract = "The synoptic precipitation variability over Central Africa (CA) in the March-to-May (MAM) and September-to-November (SON) seasons is investigated in this study. The composite analysis is used to highlight the evolution of synoptic precipitation, related convection, and dynamic fields. Composite analysis findings show that synoptic precipitation anomalies increase/fade with an increase/decrease in convection, with the largest amplitude over 5° S–10° N and 2.5–20° E in MAM and 5° N–7.5° N and 5–15° E in SON. Precipitation anomalies and convection associated with the synoptic variability progress eastward preceded (followed) by eastward (westward) low-level wind. This synoptic sequence is associated with a downward motion and an inflow, indicating the storm{\textquoteright}s presence, which contributes significantly to precipitation initiation over CA. The empirical orthogonal function for precipitation during the SON season is lower than that observed during the MAM season in the context of the size and spatial pattern. During these precipitation occurrences, the zonal moisture component contributes the most to the moisture initiation over the region. The findings of this study show that the observed convergence/divergence position remains unchanged in intensity irrespective of the positive/negative precipitation events. Overall, the synoptic-scale conditions in MAM contribute around 58% of the total variability in precipitation.",

author = "Sinclaire Zebaze and Raju Pathak and {Komkoua Mbienda}, {A. J.} and {Pokam Mba}, Wilfried and Popat Salunke and Abhishek Anand and Vondou, {Derbetini Appolinaire} and Andr{\'e} Lenouo and Mishra, {Saroj Kanta}",

note = "KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2022-04-21 Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank NOAA ( http://www.cdc.noaa.gov ) for GPCP, OLR and NCEP datasets. This research work is partly supported by the DST CoE in Climate Modeling. The authors are thankful to the ECMWF for providing Era-Interim products available. The authors are also grateful to the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive and helpful suggestions which contributed to improve the manuscript.",

year = "2022",

month = mar,

day = "18",

doi = "10.1007/s11600-022-00754-2",

language = "English (US)",

journal = "Acta Geophysica",

issn = "1895-7455",

publisher = "Springer International Publishing AG",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - An investigation into the role of synoptic conditions on Central African precipitation variability

AU - Zebaze, Sinclaire

AU - Pathak, Raju

AU - Komkoua Mbienda, A. J.

AU - Pokam Mba, Wilfried

AU - Salunke, Popat

AU - Anand, Abhishek

AU - Vondou, Derbetini Appolinaire

AU - Lenouo, André

AU - Mishra, Saroj Kanta

N1 - KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2022-04-21 Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank NOAA ( http://www.cdc.noaa.gov ) for GPCP, OLR and NCEP datasets. This research work is partly supported by the DST CoE in Climate Modeling. The authors are thankful to the ECMWF for providing Era-Interim products available. The authors are also grateful to the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive and helpful suggestions which contributed to improve the manuscript.

PY - 2022/3/18

Y1 - 2022/3/18

N2 - The synoptic precipitation variability over Central Africa (CA) in the March-to-May (MAM) and September-to-November (SON) seasons is investigated in this study. The composite analysis is used to highlight the evolution of synoptic precipitation, related convection, and dynamic fields. Composite analysis findings show that synoptic precipitation anomalies increase/fade with an increase/decrease in convection, with the largest amplitude over 5° S–10° N and 2.5–20° E in MAM and 5° N–7.5° N and 5–15° E in SON. Precipitation anomalies and convection associated with the synoptic variability progress eastward preceded (followed) by eastward (westward) low-level wind. This synoptic sequence is associated with a downward motion and an inflow, indicating the storm’s presence, which contributes significantly to precipitation initiation over CA. The empirical orthogonal function for precipitation during the SON season is lower than that observed during the MAM season in the context of the size and spatial pattern. During these precipitation occurrences, the zonal moisture component contributes the most to the moisture initiation over the region. The findings of this study show that the observed convergence/divergence position remains unchanged in intensity irrespective of the positive/negative precipitation events. Overall, the synoptic-scale conditions in MAM contribute around 58% of the total variability in precipitation.

AB - The synoptic precipitation variability over Central Africa (CA) in the March-to-May (MAM) and September-to-November (SON) seasons is investigated in this study. The composite analysis is used to highlight the evolution of synoptic precipitation, related convection, and dynamic fields. Composite analysis findings show that synoptic precipitation anomalies increase/fade with an increase/decrease in convection, with the largest amplitude over 5° S–10° N and 2.5–20° E in MAM and 5° N–7.5° N and 5–15° E in SON. Precipitation anomalies and convection associated with the synoptic variability progress eastward preceded (followed) by eastward (westward) low-level wind. This synoptic sequence is associated with a downward motion and an inflow, indicating the storm’s presence, which contributes significantly to precipitation initiation over CA. The empirical orthogonal function for precipitation during the SON season is lower than that observed during the MAM season in the context of the size and spatial pattern. During these precipitation occurrences, the zonal moisture component contributes the most to the moisture initiation over the region. The findings of this study show that the observed convergence/divergence position remains unchanged in intensity irrespective of the positive/negative precipitation events. Overall, the synoptic-scale conditions in MAM contribute around 58% of the total variability in precipitation.

UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10754/676349

UR - https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11600-022-00754-2

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85126359053&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s11600-022-00754-2

DO - 10.1007/s11600-022-00754-2

M3 - Article

SN - 1895-7455

JO - Acta Geophysica

JF - Acta Geophysica

ER -

An investigation into the role of synoptic conditions on Central African precipitation variability

Abstract

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