Assessing the Capabilities of Three Regional Climate Models over CORDEX Africa in Simulating West African Summer Monsoon Precipitation
This study evaluates the ability of three Regional Climate Models (RCMs) used in Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) to simulate the characteristics of rainfall pattern during the West Africa Summer Monsoon from 1998 to 2008. The seasonal climatology, annual rainfall cycles,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Advances in Meteorology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/935431 |
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| author | A. A. Akinsanola K. O. Ogunjobi I. E. Gbode V. O. Ajayi |
| author_facet | A. A. Akinsanola K. O. Ogunjobi I. E. Gbode V. O. Ajayi |
| author_sort | A. A. Akinsanola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study evaluates the ability of three Regional Climate Models (RCMs) used in Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) to simulate the characteristics of rainfall pattern during the West Africa Summer Monsoon from 1998 to 2008. The seasonal climatology, annual rainfall cycles, and wind fields of the RCMs output were assessed over three homogenous subregions and validated using precipitation data from eighty-one (81) ground observation stations and TRMM satellite data. Furthermore, the ability of the RCMs to simulate response to El Nino and La Nina events was assessed. Results show that two of the RCMs (RCA and REMO) simulated the main features of the rainfall climatology and associated dynamics over the three subregions (Guinea Coast, Savannah, and Sahel) of West Africa. The RCMs also capture the African Easterly Jet (AEJ) and Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ) with little variations in position and intensity. Analysis shows significant biases in individual models depending on subregion and season under consideration which may be attributed to strong cyclonic circulation observed at 850 mb pressure level. In general, the study shows RCA and REMO fairly simulate West Africa rainfall adequately and can therefore be used for the assessment of West African Summer Monsoon and future climate projections. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d4ebc69cc83944deacf76693c96db5aa |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-9309 1687-9317 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advances in Meteorology |
| spelling | doaj-art-d4ebc69cc83944deacf76693c96db5aa2025-02-03T01:07:04ZengWileyAdvances in Meteorology1687-93091687-93172015-01-01201510.1155/2015/935431935431Assessing the Capabilities of Three Regional Climate Models over CORDEX Africa in Simulating West African Summer Monsoon PrecipitationA. A. Akinsanola0K. O. Ogunjobi1I. E. Gbode2V. O. Ajayi3Department of Meteorology and Climate Science, Federal University of Technology, PMB 704, Akure, Ondo State, NigeriaDepartment of Meteorology and Climate Science, Federal University of Technology, PMB 704, Akure, Ondo State, NigeriaDepartment of Meteorology and Climate Science, Federal University of Technology, PMB 704, Akure, Ondo State, NigeriaDepartment of Meteorology and Climate Science, Federal University of Technology, PMB 704, Akure, Ondo State, NigeriaThis study evaluates the ability of three Regional Climate Models (RCMs) used in Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) to simulate the characteristics of rainfall pattern during the West Africa Summer Monsoon from 1998 to 2008. The seasonal climatology, annual rainfall cycles, and wind fields of the RCMs output were assessed over three homogenous subregions and validated using precipitation data from eighty-one (81) ground observation stations and TRMM satellite data. Furthermore, the ability of the RCMs to simulate response to El Nino and La Nina events was assessed. Results show that two of the RCMs (RCA and REMO) simulated the main features of the rainfall climatology and associated dynamics over the three subregions (Guinea Coast, Savannah, and Sahel) of West Africa. The RCMs also capture the African Easterly Jet (AEJ) and Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ) with little variations in position and intensity. Analysis shows significant biases in individual models depending on subregion and season under consideration which may be attributed to strong cyclonic circulation observed at 850 mb pressure level. In general, the study shows RCA and REMO fairly simulate West Africa rainfall adequately and can therefore be used for the assessment of West African Summer Monsoon and future climate projections.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/935431 |
| spellingShingle | A. A. Akinsanola K. O. Ogunjobi I. E. Gbode V. O. Ajayi Assessing the Capabilities of Three Regional Climate Models over CORDEX Africa in Simulating West African Summer Monsoon Precipitation Advances in Meteorology |
| title | Assessing the Capabilities of Three Regional Climate Models over CORDEX Africa in Simulating West African Summer Monsoon Precipitation |
| title_full | Assessing the Capabilities of Three Regional Climate Models over CORDEX Africa in Simulating West African Summer Monsoon Precipitation |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the Capabilities of Three Regional Climate Models over CORDEX Africa in Simulating West African Summer Monsoon Precipitation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the Capabilities of Three Regional Climate Models over CORDEX Africa in Simulating West African Summer Monsoon Precipitation |
| title_short | Assessing the Capabilities of Three Regional Climate Models over CORDEX Africa in Simulating West African Summer Monsoon Precipitation |
| title_sort | assessing the capabilities of three regional climate models over cordex africa in simulating west african summer monsoon precipitation |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/935431 |
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