Impact of warm ENSO events on atmospheric circulation and convection over the tropical Atlantic and West Africa

Empirical studies have shown that warm El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) episodes are associated during northern summer with, first, a southward location of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) over the tropical Atlantic, and, second, a weakened convection over West Africa where the ITCZ...

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Main Author: S. Janicot
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 1997-04-01
Series:Annales Geophysicae
Online Access:https://www.ann-geophys.net/15/471/1997/angeo-15-471-1997.pdf
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author S. Janicot
author_facet S. Janicot
author_sort S. Janicot
collection DOAJ
description Empirical studies have shown that warm El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) episodes are associated during northern summer with, first, a southward location of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) over the tropical Atlantic, and, second, a weakened convection over West Africa where the ITCZ is near its mean latitude. A modelling experiment presented here is used to help explain this apparent contradiction. In simulated ENSO conditions, the ITCZ is located southwards over the tropical Atlantic. Over West Africa the intertropical front is also displaced southwards, but more slightly; the ITCZ is located at its climatological latitude and the vertical development of convective clouds over West and Central Africa is reduced due to dynamical subsidence in the upper levels.
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spelling doaj.art-b2552bec90184728b118b963a601354a2022-12-22T03:32:27ZengCopernicus PublicationsAnnales Geophysicae0992-76891432-05761997-04-011547147510.1007/s00585-997-0471-xImpact of warm ENSO events on atmospheric circulation and convection over the tropical Atlantic and West AfricaS. Janicot0Météo-France, Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique du CNRS, Palaiseau, FranceEmpirical studies have shown that warm El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) episodes are associated during northern summer with, first, a southward location of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) over the tropical Atlantic, and, second, a weakened convection over West Africa where the ITCZ is near its mean latitude. A modelling experiment presented here is used to help explain this apparent contradiction. In simulated ENSO conditions, the ITCZ is located southwards over the tropical Atlantic. Over West Africa the intertropical front is also displaced southwards, but more slightly; the ITCZ is located at its climatological latitude and the vertical development of convective clouds over West and Central Africa is reduced due to dynamical subsidence in the upper levels.https://www.ann-geophys.net/15/471/1997/angeo-15-471-1997.pdf
spellingShingle S. Janicot
Impact of warm ENSO events on atmospheric circulation and convection over the tropical Atlantic and West Africa
Annales Geophysicae
title Impact of warm ENSO events on atmospheric circulation and convection over the tropical Atlantic and West Africa
title_full Impact of warm ENSO events on atmospheric circulation and convection over the tropical Atlantic and West Africa
title_fullStr Impact of warm ENSO events on atmospheric circulation and convection over the tropical Atlantic and West Africa
title_full_unstemmed Impact of warm ENSO events on atmospheric circulation and convection over the tropical Atlantic and West Africa
title_short Impact of warm ENSO events on atmospheric circulation and convection over the tropical Atlantic and West Africa
title_sort impact of warm enso events on atmospheric circulation and convection over the tropical atlantic and west africa
url https://www.ann-geophys.net/15/471/1997/angeo-15-471-1997.pdf
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