A study of climate and weather variability over the tropical southwest Indian Ocean

Summary The climatology and variability of summer convection and circulation over the tropical southwest Indian Ocean is investigated using satellite imagery, routine synoptic observations, outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data, sea surface temperatures (SST) and areal averaged rainfall departures. OLR has a –0.90 correlation with rainfall departures and the OLR minimum (ITCZ) in January and February lies across the 10°S latitude, extending further south near Madagascar. The intensity of ITCZ convection is greatest in the longitudes 20–35°E over northern Zambia and is considerably reduced over the SW Indian Ocean. Spatial correlations are analyzed for standardized departures of OLR, rainfall and SST. The correlations change sign in a coherent fashion, creating a climatic dipole between southern Africa and the SW Indian Ocean. Interannual trends are examined through analysis of January–February zonal and meridional wind indices constructed from significantly correlated variables at Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Mauritius. Circulation variability is dominated by quasi-decadal cycles and a trend of inereasing westerly winds. Zonal wind shear alternates from easterly (barotropic) to westerly and together with SST appears to regulate the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclogenesis. Areally averaged rainfall departures exhibit 6.25 year cycles in NE Madagascar and 12.5 and 18.75 year cycles in SW Madagascar and Zimbabwe, respectively. Summer rainfall and meridional winds in NE Madagascar and Zimbabwe are out of phase and negatively correlated in most summers. The presence of synoptic weather systems is assessed using daily Hovmoller-type satellite imagery composites. Convective structure is dominated by transient waves in the 10°–20°S latitude band, with periods of 15–20 days common. The waves are more prominent in summers with increased easterly shear and contribute to fluctuations in rainfall over SE Africa.With 8 Figures     

Impact of Mascarene High variability on the East African ‘short rains’

The interannual variability of East African ‘short rains’ (EASR) and its link with the Mascarene High (MH) variation are explored, using observations and reanalysis data. Correlation and composite analyses for flood and drought events reveal that the EASR variability is strongly linked to the MH zonal displacement, in particular, the zonal movement of the MH eastern ridge. When the MH eastern ridge is anomalously displaced to the west (east) of its normal position, the south east (SE) trade winds over the South Indian Ocean (SIO) anomalously strengthen (weaken). This enhances (reduces) the relatively cool and dry SE trade winds and induces cold (warm) sea surface temperature anomaly in the SIO. As a result, convection over the western equatorial SIO is suppressed (enhanced) and leads to rainfall deficits (excess) over East Africa. Droughts in East Africa are associated with a westward migration of the MH eastern ridge, while the relationship is less clear for flood events and their link to an eastward migration of the MH. Therefore, the zonal migration of the MH eastern ridge provides a novel indicator for the EASR extremes especially droughts. This revelation has immense social application for rainfall forecast over East Africa where rainfall deficits have become more prevalent against the background of deteriorating conventional forecasts for EASR droughts.     

1948～2001年全球陆地及大尺度区域6～8月旱涝气候变化

用 1 948～ 2 0 0 1全球陆地月降水资料 (PREC/L) ,研究了全球、北半球、南半球及欧亚、非洲、澳洲、北美、南美和南极大陆等 6个大尺度区域 6～ 8月的旱涝气候变化。结果表明 ,全球及北、南半球 6～ 8月的旱涝有明显的年代际变化。 2 0世纪 40年代末～ 70年代为全球洪涝多发期 ,80～ 90年代为全球干旱多发期。北半球的特征与全球较为一致 ;南、北半球 6～ 8月的旱涝没有明显的联系 ,但发生暖 (冷 )事件时 ,两个半球可能同时出现干旱(洪涝 ) ;全球、半球的旱涝与ENSO有明显的联系。另外 ,非洲大陆和欧亚大陆旱涝年的分布有十分明显的年代际特征 ,6个大区域 6～ 8月的旱涝之间存在一定的联系。     

Transient convective waves in the tropical SW Indian Ocean

Summary Wave-organized convective features in the southwest Indian Ocean are described using Hovmoller composites of satellite imagery, OLR anomalies and ECMWF precipitable water departures during the southern summer. Westward movement of large convective elements is noted in the 10–20°S latitude band in about half of the years between 1970 and 1984. A study of 47 convective systems from satellite imagery establishes the climatological features, including zonal propagation speeds for maritime systems in the range –2 to –4 m s^–1, wavelengths of 25–35° longitude (3,000 km), lifespans of 10–20 days and convective areas of 7–10° longitude (800 km). Transient convective waves over the tropical SW Indian Ocean are slower and more diverse than their northern hemisphere counterparts. Interannual tendencies in the frequency and mode are studied. Wet summers over SE Africa correspond with an increased frequency of westward moving convective systems, whereas in dry summers convective systems tend to be quasi-stationary. INSAT data composites provide additional insight into the convective structure and show that tropical waves penetrated into southern Africa in February 1988. A more quantitative assessment of transient convective waves is provided by Hovmoller composites of OLR anomalies and precipitable water departures. Both display westward moving systems in 1976 and 1984 and highlight the wide variety and mixed mode character of convective waves. A case study is analyzed which illustrates the deepening of a moist, unstable layer coincident with the westward passage of a convective wave.With 12 Figures     

Evolution and variability of the ITCZ in the SW Indian Ocean: 1988–90

Summary The structure and variability of the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) in the SW Indian Ocean in the austral summer is investigated. The ITCZ is identified by satellite microwave (SSMI) precipitable water (PW) values > 5 g cm^–2, minimum outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) values < 220 W m^–2 and the pattern of convergence in the low level (850 hPa) winds. According to OLR climatology, the ITCZ lies over 15°S latitude to the west of Madagascar (40–50°E), but near 10°S to the east of 60°E. Inter-annual and intra-seasonal variability is induced by the interaction of the convective NW monsoon and subsident easterly trades. Symptoms of the structure and variability are presented using tropical cyclone (TC) tracks, axes of PW exceedences and OLR, 850hPa wind and PW fields in the period 1988–1990. The shape and intensity of the ITCZ is modulated by the strength of the NW monsoon off east Africa and by standing vortices in the SW Indian Ocean. The topography of Madagascar imparts a distinctive break in convective characteristics, and distinguishes the SE African ITCZ from its maritime counterpart.With 6 Figures     

闽北汛期强降水中尺度特征分析

为揭示闽北暴雨的中尺度规律,利用1980~2005年南平市10县(市、区)气象站5~6月雨量大于等于50mm达到或超过3个站的43个暴雨过程129个暴雨日的逐时降水自记资料,分析了汛期暴雨日雨团和强雨团的时空分布、强度及持续时间、移动规律、雨团与影响系统的关系以及地形对雨团的产生、分布、移动等的影响等,得出闽北汛期强降水的中尺度若干特征,其结论可为预报人员在业务实践中提供有益的参考。     

Impact of cold air surges on rainfall variability in the Sahel and wet African tropics: a multi-scale analysis

Satellite-derived rainfall estimates and the ERA-Interim reanalysis are used to better understand cold air surge/precipitation interactions and to identify the implications for rainfall variability in the Sahel and tropical Africa on synoptic to seasonal timescales. At the synoptic timescale, cold air surges are associated with cold conditions over the eastern Sahara throughout the year due to the eastward passage of surface low pressure systems over the Mediterranean and the subsequent ridging over northern Africa. Rainfall decreases over central and eastern Africa approximately 4–5 days after the cold air first arrives in northeastern Africa. These precipitation anomalies persist for 4 or more days. At the seasonal timescale, a significant relationship between eastern Saharan low-level temperatures and rainfall in the Sahel and tropical Africa is identified, with colder conditions associated with reduced convection on the northern flank of the primary convergence zone, and vice versa. During boreal winter, the anomalous rainfall occurs over tropical Africa (0°N–8°N). During the summer, rainfall anomalies associated with cold air surges occur over the Sahel (10°N–16°N). These relationships are mediated by anomalous anticyclonic flow over northwestern Africa and western Europe. The analysis shows that cold air surges are significantly associated with summertime cooling over the Sahara, but less so during the winter.     

A New Precipitation Index for the Spatiotemporal Distribution of Drought and Flooding in the Reaches of the Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers and Related Characteristics of Atmospheric Circulation

Characteristics of the spatiotemporal distributions of precipitation anomalies in the reaches of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River (YHR) were studied using EOF method. Four main precipitation pat-terns for the YHR in summer identified by the first two modes: a region-wide flood over the entire YHR (RWF); a region-wide drought over the entire YHR (RWD); a flood in the south with a drought in the northern region of the Yangtze River (FS-DN); and a drought in the south with a flood in the northern region of the Yangtze River (DS-FN). Based on the first two modes and the actual precipitation departure percentage, a new precipitation index is defined in this paper. The typical flood/drought years associated with the various rainfall patterns defined by this precipitation index are more representative and closer to reality compared to some existing precipitation indexes which just use the area-mean precipitation or the EOF time components individually. The characteristics of atmospheric circulation in summer corresponding to the four main precipitation patterns over the YHR in summer show the features of atmospheric circulation differ in different precipitation pattern years. Although the different patterns share a common main influential circulation system, such as the blocking high over northeastern Asia, the low trough of westerly flows in the mid latitudes, the West Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH), and the high ridge over the Tibet Plateau, the difference in location and intensity of these systems can lead to different distributions of precipitation anomalies.     

Composite climatic patterns associated with extreme modes of summer rainfall over southern Africa: 1975–1984

Summary Climatic patterns associated with extreme modes of summer rainfall over southern Africa are investigated using composite techniques. Differences between the wet summers of the mid-1970s and the dry summers of the early 1980s are highlighted. In dry summers both the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) and Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) are negatively biased. Composite difference fields of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), sea surface temperature (SST), and upper and lower tropospheric wind are analysed. The OLR difference field indicates the widespread nature of convective variations with a consistent sign in the domain 15–33° S, 0–40° E. An area of opposing sign is conspicuous over the southwest Indian Ocean and represents a dipole, whereby wet summers over southern Africa coincide with dry summers over the adjacent ocean. This dipole behaviour is an expression of the primary mode of interannual climatic variability in the region. SST composite differences are negative over a wide portion of the central equatorial Indian Ocean and SE Atlantic, and positive to the south of Africa where the Agulhas Current flows. Wind composites reveal distinctive circulation differences in the extreme summers considered. In the tropical zone off the east coast of Africa difference vectors indicate upper westerly and lower easterly circulation anomalies, and distinguish a pathway for moist Indian Ocean air. A deep anticyclonic gyre is located over the region of positive SST differences in the sub-tropics to the SE of Africa. The identification of climatic patterns in extreme summers offers some useful guidelines in seasonal forecasts.With 6 Figures     

Meteorological scenario of Ethiopian floods in 2006�C2007

The meteorological scenario of Ethiopian highlands floods is studied. Daily rainfall in the period 1997?C2007 reveals two peaks: 23?C28 July 2006 and 26?C31 July 2007. National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) composites suggest that anomalous southerly monsoon flow over the West Indian Ocean is re-directed by an anomalous Arabian ridge westward across the Red Sea and Ethiopia. A tongue of moisture stretches from the Congo towards the highlands, but westerly equatorial wind anomalies are absent. Anomalous sinking motions and dry conditions are evident over the West Indian Ocean. Diurnal analysis reveals northwesterly flow over eastern Sudan during afternoon hours, whilst back-trajectory analysis highlights a Red Sea source and lifting over the eastern escarpment of Ethiopia. The upper level tropical easterly jet connects Indian and Ethiopian rainfall at intra-seasonal (~40?days) time scale; whilst low-level meridional flow convergence is evident during flood events. Hovmoller analysis on 10°N reveals cyclonic signals propagating westward from the Arabian Sea at 500?km?day^?1 that produces a 10-day cycle in Ethiopian rainfall. The floods in 2006?C2007 occurred at the peak of the annual cycle, with diurnal controls inducing ? of rain in the late evening. Whilst cold surges from southern Africa played a role in the 2006 flood, bursts in the northern Hadley cell are a more general determinant. The convection associated with the 2007 flood went on to become a destructive Atlantic hurricane.     

An index for tropical temperate troughs over southern Africa

Strong cases of the tropical temperate troughs (TTT) that are responsible for the most of the summer rainfall over subtropical southern Africa are analyzed. An index for identifying the TTT is introduced for the first time using anomalies of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and the wind. The TTT is associated with a ridge-trough-ridge wave-like structure in the lower troposphere over southern Africa and the adjoining Indian Ocean. Therefore, the index considers physical processes that occur over southern Africa, adjoining the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to depict the variability of the TTT events. Unusually strong TTT events are identified when the standard deviations of the TTT indices defined by the OLR and wind anomalies in the selected regions are above 1.5 and 0.5 respectively. After applying this criterion and filtering out consecutive events, 55 TTT events are identified during the study period of December–January–February seasons from 1980–1981 to 2009–2010. From the composite analyses of those 55 events, it is found that the TTTs evolve with suppressed (enhanced) convection over the southwest Indian Ocean adjacent to Madagascar (southern Africa). The suppressed convection is, in turn, found to be associated with the enhanced convection around Sumatra in the southeast tropical Indian Ocean. This may explain why more TTT events occur in La Niña years as compared to El Niño years. Time evolution of the canonical TTT event shows that it starts 3 days prior to the mature phase of the event, suggesting possible predictability. After reaching a matured state, the system moves east toward the Indian Ocean and decays within the subsequent couple of days. In addition, the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) structure changes over Southern Africa/Madagascar during the TTT event and remains similar to climatology over other regions. The results indicate that the continental part of the ITCZ intensifies prior to the TTT event and then spreads southward following the mid-latitude influence during and after the event.     

北非地区海-陆热力差异与夏季江淮流域旱涝的关系

基于NCEP/NCAR月均再分析资料和中国743站降水资料,根据夏季江淮流域51 a(1954-2004年)区域旱涝指数的年代际变化特征,确定北非地区作为研究的关键区.分析发现,关键区的地表温度异常在冬季具有较好的持续性,冬季北大西洋涛动是导致这种异常持续性的重要原因之一.通过对前冬北非地区地表温度和夏季江淮流域降水的SVD分析发现:当北非大陆地区偏冷,其西北侧的海区偏暖时,江淮流域夏季的降水将整体偏多;反之,江淮流域夏季的降水整体偏少.进一步研究发现,北非地区海陆地表温度异常的对比,要比其中单一海洋或陆地区域的异常对夏季江淮流域的旱涝有更好的指示能力.文中定义了一个海陆热力差异指数来表征这种地表温度异常的对比程度,该指数和夏季江淮流域旱涝指数呈较好的正相关关系,并且对夏季江淮流域极端旱涝年份也有较好的指示,认为该指数可以作为一个指示江淮流域整体旱涝事件的预报因子.     

Tropical cyclone Dera, the unusual 2000/01 tropical cyclone season in the South West Indian Ocean and associated rainfall anomalies over Southern Africa

Summary Austral summer 2000/01 in the southern African region was unusual in several respects. Tropical cyclone activity in the southwest Indian Ocean was substantially less than average despite large areas of this region showing anomalously warm sea surface temperatures (SST) for much of the season. Many areas of southern Africa experienced above average rainfall with local flooding in parts of Mozambique. In the tropical southeast Atlantic, a large warm SST anomaly evolved off the coast of Angola and northern Namibia in late summer suggesting a Benguela Ni?o event. During the late summer (February–April 2001), three particularly widespread and intense wet spells occurred over tropical southern Africa, one of which coincided with tropical cyclone Dera. This study considers the generation and evolution of the middle wet spell of late summer 2001 and its relationship with tropical cyclone Dera. This storm was generated in the northwestern part of the Mozambique Channel and then tracked more or less due south through the Channel and into the subtropical southwest Indian Ocean. Rainfall associated with Dera contributed to the ongoing floods over central Mozambique that arose from rains earlier in the season. Dera occurred in early March following a relatively long period of no tropical cyclone activity in the southwest Indian Ocean. A build up of favorable conditions during the preceding weeks contributed towards the storm whereas an anticyclonic anomaly east of Madagascar led to the northerly steering current and the southward track of tropical cyclone Dera out of the Mozambique Channel.     

OLR与长江中游夏季降水的关联

用SVD方法分析了1、4、7月全球OLR与夏季(6—8月)中国华中区域降水场的关系,结果表明:若1月南非东部沿岸至西印度洋、北美北部OLR(Outgoing Longwave Radiation)偏低(偏高),或北非、美国西南沿岸及近海OLR偏高(偏低),则夏季长江中游降水将偏多(偏少)。若4月澳大利亚至东印度洋、日界线以东热带太平洋OLR偏低(偏高),或西北太平洋偏高(偏低),则夏季长江中游降水将偏多(偏少)。若7月东印度洋—澳大利亚大陆、东亚OLR偏低(偏高),则夏季华中区域长江及其以北降水将偏多(偏少),湖南和江西南部降水将偏少(偏多)。夏季长江中游旱、涝年前期OLR明显的区别在于热带太平洋:涝年1月东、西太平洋为明显负、正异常,4月这种异常进一步加剧;旱年1月正好相反,东、西太平洋为微弱的正、负异常,4月转为东、西太平洋为微弱的负、正异常。太平洋暖池OLR低值区(强对流区)4、7月持续偏南,是夏季长江中游降水偏多的另一重要信号。冬、春季OLR与夏季长江中游降水大尺度关联的可能机制为:若1月热带东、西太平洋OLR为明显负、正异常,4月这种异常进一步加剧,也即冬、春季热带太平洋Walker环流持续减弱,从而使夏季暖池对流活动减弱,热带辐合带偏南,Hadley环流偏弱,使夏季西太平洋副热带高压主体位置偏南,导致中国夏季主雨带不能北推至黄河流域,而长期滞留长江中下游,最后造成长江中游降水异常。     

Temporal and spatial variations of global deep cloud systems based on CloudSat and CALIPSO satellite observations

ABSTRACT The spatial and temporal global distribution of deep clouds was analyzed using a four-year dataset （2007-10） based on observations from CloudSat and CALIPSO. Results showed that in the Northern Hemisphere, the number of deep cloud systems （DCS） reached a maximum in summer and a minimum in winter. Seasonal variations in the number of DCS varied zonally in the Southern Hemisphere. DCS occurred most frequently over central Africa, the northern parts of South America and Australia, and Tibet. The mean cloud-top height of deep cloud cores （TDCC） decreased toward high latitudes in all seasons. DCS with the highest TDCC and deepest cores occurred over east and south Asian monsoon regions, west-central Africa and northern South America. The width of DCS （WDCS） increased toward high latitudes in all seasons. In general, DCS were more developed in the horizontal than in the vertical direction over high latitudes and vice versa over lower lat- itudes. Findings from this study show that different mechanisms are behind the development of DCS at different latitudes. Most DCS at low latitudes are deep convective clouds which are highly developed in the vertical direction but cover a rela tively small area in the horizontal direction; these DCS have the highest TDCC and smallest WDCS. The DCS at midlatitudes are more likely to be caused by cyclones, so they have less vertical development than DCS at low latitudes. DCS at high latitudes are mainly generated by large frontal systems, so they have the largest WDCS and the smallest TDCC.     

Northern African climate at the end of the twenty-first century: an integrated application of regional and global climate models

A method for simulating future climate on regional space scales is developed and applied to northern Africa. Simulation with a regional model allows for the horizontal resolution needed to resolve the region’s strong meridional gradients and the optimization of parameterizations and land-surface model. The control simulation is constrained by reanalysis data, and realistically represents the present day climate. Atmosphere–ocean general circulation model (AOGCM) output provides SST and lateral boundary condition anomalies for 2081–2100 under a business-as-usual emissions scenario, and the atmospheric CO₂ concentration is increased to 757 ppmv. A nine-member ensemble of future climate projections is generated by using output from nine AOGCMs. The consistency of precipitation projections for the end of the twenty-first century is much greater for the regional model ensemble than among the AOGCMs. More than 77% of ensemble members produce the same sign rainfall anomaly over much of northern Africa. For West Africa, the regional model projects wetter conditions in spring, but a mid-summer drought develops during June and July, and the heat stoke risk increases across the Sahel. Wetter conditions resume in late summer, and the likelihood of flooding increases. The regional model generally projects wetter conditions over eastern Central Africa in June and drying during August through September. Severe drought impacts parts of East Africa in late summer. Conditions become wetter in October, but the enhanced rainfall does not compensate for the summertime deficit. The risk of heat stroke increases over this region, although the threat is not projected to be as great as in the Sahel.     

African Easterly Jet South: control,maintenance mechanisms and link with Southern subtropical waves

The African Easterly Jet South (AEJ-S) is an important feature of the central African mid tropospheric circulation and has been identified as a key contributor to convection over the region. This study uses 21-year (1983–2003) Reanalysis data sets of ERA-Interim, NCEP2 and MERRA2 to establish mechanisms related to AEJ-S dynamics. Results demonstrate that AEJ-S is dominated by rotational circulation and is maintained by a mid-level high that forms over the Kalahari region during September to November. Because of the role played by this high pressure system in the AEJ-S dynamics, an effort is made to understand how this anticyclone develops. We show that this mid-tropospheric high over the Kalahari region is established in response to lower tropospheric dry convection over the region from September to November. At the core of this high, anticyclonic circulation is induced and maintains AEJ-S located at the northern flank of the high. A link between AEJ-S dynamics and southern subtropical westerly waves is also revealed. It is shown that, when waves amplify over the southern subtropics, they modify lower tropospheric heating. Depending on the phase of the wave, this modifies the cross latitude temperature gradient throughout equatorial regions, therefore modulating the intensity of the jet. By clarifying the mechanisms that govern the AEJ-S, this research work contributes to insight into central Africa climate mechanisms and also suggests a link between central Africa and Southern Africa climate systems. This research work also improves the foundation of new mechanisms that help to identify suitable metrics for the evaluation of Global models over the Central Africa region.     

佛山市前汛期旱涝及其环流异常特征

基于佛山市降水量和NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,采用二维风场差异的显著性检验方法等,分析了佛山市前汛期降水异常特征及旱、涝年水平风场和垂直经圈环流的差异。结果表明,佛山市前汛期降水量存在多时间尺度振荡,降水量的气候变化趋势不明显。旱、涝年热带低纬度的南海中北部及西太平洋地区的850 hPa风场存在显著差异,影响前汛期旱涝的关键区是副高的西北侧和南侧。分析还表明,旱、涝年经圈环流差异显著,北半球风场显著区位于南海区域和华南地区,层次集中在大气低层和中层。     

Projected changes in tropical cyclone climatology and landfall in the Southwest Indian Ocean region under enhanced anthropogenic forcing

The conformal-cubic atmospheric model, a variable-resolution global model, is applied at high spatial resolution to perform simulations of present-day and future climate over southern Africa and over the Southwest Indian Ocean. The model is forced with the bias-corrected sea-surface temperatures and sea-ice of six coupled global climate models that contributed to Assessment Report 4 of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. All six simulations are for the period 1961–2100, under the A2 emission scenario. Projections for the latter part of the 21st century indicate a decrease in the occurrence of tropical cyclones over the Southwest Indian Ocean adjacent to southern Africa, as well as a northward shift in the preferred landfall position of these systems over the southern African subcontinent. A concurrent increase in January to March rainfall is projected for northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania, with decreases projected further south over semi-arid areas such as the Limpopo River Basin where these systems make an important contribution as main cause of widespread heavy rainfall. It is shown that the projected changes in tropical cyclone attributes and regional rainfall occur in relation to changes in larger scale atmospheric temperature, pressure and wind profiles of the southern African region and adjacent oceans.     

Sub-Saharan Northern African climate at the end of the twenty-first century: forcing factors and climate change processes

A regional climate model, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model, is forced with increased atmospheric CO₂ and anomalous SSTs and lateral boundary conditions derived from nine coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation models to produce an ensemble set of nine future climate simulations for northern Africa at the end of the twenty-first century. A well validated control simulation, agreement among ensemble members, and a physical understanding of the future climate change enhance confidence in the predictions. The regional model ensembles produce consistent precipitation projections over much of northern tropical Africa. A moisture budget analysis is used to identify the circulation changes that support future precipitation anomalies. The projected midsummer drought over the Guinean Coast region is related partly to weakened monsoon flow. Since the rainfall maximum demonstrates a southward bias in the control simulation in July–August, this may be indicative of future summer drying over the Sahel. Wetter conditions in late summer over the Sahel are associated with enhanced moisture transport by the West African westerly jet, a strengthening of the jet itself, and moisture transport from the Mediterranean. Severe drought in East Africa during August and September is accompanied by a weakened Indian monsoon and Somali jet. Simulations with projected and idealized SST forcing suggest that overall SST warming in part supports this regional model ensemble agreement, although changes in SST gradients are important over West Africa in spring and fall. Simulations which isolate the role of individual climate forcings suggest that the spatial distribution of the rainfall predictions is controlled by the anomalous SST and lateral boundary conditions, while CO₂ forcing within the regional model domain plays an important secondary role and generally produces wetter conditions.