Mean state and kinematic properties of mesoscale convective systems over West Africa

Abstract

A 17-year (1984 to 2000) dataset of brightness temperature (T b) was employed to study the spatial and temporal scales of mesoscale convective systems (MCS) over West Africa. The kinematic properties of MCS were tested using wind products. A threshold brightness temperature (T b) of ≤213 K and spatial coverage specifications of more than 5000 km2 were used as two set criteria for initiating MCS tracking. MCS occurrences vary in seasons and locations over West Africa, and their activities vary with different weather zones. They can appear at any time of the day, but this study revealed a significant preference for early morning hours and night hours over continental West Africa. The well-organized systems occur between July and September in the Sahel, and between May and September in the Savanna band. MCS activities in the Gulf of Guinea peak between March and April, while the Savanna and Sahel zones peak between June and August. The produced annual atlas gives a spatial account of areas of MCS dominance in West Africa. The presence of African Easterly Jet (AEJ) and Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ), and deep monsoon depth all characterize an environment where MCS thrive. Kinematic study of a typical MCS reveals that the monsoon depth increases at the passage of MCS, with cyclonic vorticity dominating from the surface to 300 hpa while anticyclonic vorticity was observed around 200 hpa, and this confirms the importance of low level convergence and upper level divergence as the major requirements for storm mobilization and maintenance.