Spatial evolutions of the active convective patterns across the equatorial eastern Africa region during Northern Hemisphere spring season using Outgoing Longwave Radiation records

Abstract

This study has used low Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) values to study the structure and evolution of the active convection across Equatorial Eastern Africa (EEA) region (5° N to 10° S, 28° E to 42° E) during the northern hemisphere spring season. This involved the examination of the map patterns and cross-sections of OLR data as derived from once-daily NOAA's Operational Polar Orbiting satellites within the period June 1974 to May 1991.

The results from the study indicated that before March the mean ITCZ was active over the west Indian Ocean and Central Africa. The migration northwards of the zone of active ITCZ was associated with pre-season evolution patterns over the extratropics. The time-longitude cross-sections further indicated evidence that low OLR values were already occurring over central Africa to the west of 35° E before March. Such low OLR values penetrated to the east of 35° E in some occasions. Theresults from the study suggest that behind the surges of extratropical frontal systems strong meridional flow does occur and that these are associated with the advance of the ITCZ further northwards from extratropical regions of southern Africa. Then, active convection occurred over EEA region and this extended westwards to cover West Africa as well. The withdrawal of the ITCZ from the EEA region was however associated with the establishment of a centre of low OLR values to the southwest of Peninsula India.

The results from the study further revealed that the years 1981/1984 has the lowest/highest mean OLR values in the region within the period 1974 to 1991. The time-latitude cross-sections of the anomalous years indicated that active convection crossed the EEA region from south to north of the equator early/late during the anomalous wet/dry years of 1981/1984. The number of pentads with low OLR were also more/less during 1981/1984 respectively.