Along the coast, the rainfall exceeds 3,000 millimeters 118 inches per year. The rainy season has begun in west and central africa and torrential rain has already caused damage in benin, the central african republic and ghana. Climate prediction centers africa hazards outlook april 16. As for the rainy season in wa, it lasts from july all the way up to september. In the south of ghana, the rainy season runs from march to july, and again from september to october or november. Home business climate, climate change, the dry and. Guinea is one of the wettest countries in west africa. Southern africa novmar, but rain can continue until dec in south africa. Meteorologist domenica davis takes a look at the south florida forecast as the rainy season kicks off. Time series of the average start date of the wet season for west and southern africa as. During the day, sporadic rain showers have made us run for cover. To investigate this speculation and develop a reliable tool to find the optimal sowing date, the onset of the rainy season in the region was analysed by means of several statistical techniques. Hi, we are considering visiting west africa for a short trip in early june next year.
Oct 24, 2019 for young children in mali and other countries across the sahel region of africa, drocas work is lifesaving. If it were not for the change in wind direction when the southeast trades have crossed the equator, the monsoon system of west africa could not be distinguished from the weather system, caused by the seasonal shift in the latitude of the intertropical convergence, as experienced over most of central africa. We will be traveling with a tour group to johannesburg, kruger np, swaziland, port elizabeth, cape town. A virtual guide to sierra leone, a tropical country on the coast of west africa, bordered by the atlantic ocean in south west, by liberia in south east and it is half surrounded by guinea in north and north east. In ivory coast, the climate is tropical, with a dry season from december to february and a rainy season from april to october due to the african monsoon. Also, rainfall distribution in nigeria differs from the south to the north. East africa decfeb and junsep are the two main dry seasons.
Predicting monthly and seasonal rainfall, onset and cessation. The countrys perennially hot climate means that its always warm enough to don bikinis and boardshorts, and the humidity of the rainy season doesnt matter so much when youre by the sea or the hotel swimming pool. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the tropics and subtropics under the koppen climate classification, for. In the north of ghana, the rainy season tends to be one long period of wet damp weather, starting in march and ending around september. West africa bracing for harsh rainy season voice of. Delayed rainy season on sets in west africa as observed by laux et al. The climate in the northern part of the country is different from the climate in southern nigeria. One of the most important precipitation parameter for farmers in west africa is the onset of the rainy season ors since this variable is highly related to management activities in rainfed agriculture such as land preparation and crop planting.
The climate of africa is a range of climates such as the equatorial climate, the tropical wet and dry climate, the tropical monsoon climate, the semidesert climate semiarid, the desert climate hyperarid and arid, and the subtropical highland climate. Climate ivory coast climates to travel world climate guide. The bulk of southern african development community sadc is likely to receive normal to abovenormal rainfall for most of the rainy season from october 2016 to march 2017. Climate, climate change, the dry and wet seasons in west. Rains are typically brief and heavy, rarely lasting longer than a few hours. The rainy season runs from may to october in liberia, dropping an average of 170 inches of rain. The southern areas of west africa have two rainy seasons, one lasting from the end of april to midjuly, and another, shorter one in september. Most nights, weve had thunderstorms and heavy rains that have lasted through the night.
The coast west of accra is home to beautiful beaches and landmarks including the elmina and cape coast castles. The raining season in nigeria does not start in the same months in different parts of nigeria. In the north where there is less rainfall, there is only one rainy season, which lasts from july to september. Predicting the regional onset of the rainy season in west africa. Within the mediterranean climate regime, the west coast of. Temperate climates are rare across the continent except at very high elevations and along the fringes. Rainy season in south africa south africa forum tripadvisor. But, the roads are relatively passable and the bugs wont drive you nuts. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. The result is a long growing season capable of producing tropical fruits, such as. Thus the transition equinox seasons bring most rainfall to east africa figure. Cape of south africa climate a very different, pronounced summerwinter weather pattern.
From midnovember to early june, coastal areas are usually dry, while the rainy season lasts from mid to late june to october. At the gulf of guinea, precipitation is abundant yearround without a marked dry season. Sep 17, 2009 the rainy season in west africa generally falls from the end of april july and again in septemberoctober. Seasonal forecasting of the onset of the rainy season in west africa. Seasonal forecasting of the onset of the rainy season in west. Characteristics of wet and dry spells in the west african monsoon. Jan 03, 2014 catching the rain where there is no running water. As the rainy season begins in west and central africa, meteorological experts are warning of above average rainfall, flash floods and overflowing. The current wave of cholera outbreaks which had begun several weeks ago in west africa is still ongoing see map below.
September is regarded as a great time as you are losing the chill of midwinter while still being dry. Fighting malaria in children during west africas rainy season. Field studies were conducted at the icrisat sahelian center, niamey, niger, during 1986 and. What is the weather, climate and geography like in gambia. Seasonal forecasts for monsoonal rainfall characteristics like the onset of the rainy seasons ors are crucial for national weather services in semiarid regions to better support decisionmaking in rainfed agriculture. A few video shorts taken travelling between customers in missebo and in and around the benin. A light raincoat or umbrella is needed during the rainy season. Figure 4 relates growing season to vegetation type and farming system. Cotonou, benin west africa, 2014 sunshine and thunderstorms. Africa is the largest continent after asia, through which the hot climate zones, as well as the continent crosses the line of the equator. For young children in mali and other countries across the sahel region of africa, drocas work is lifesaving.
Seasonal factors, with a particularly heavy rainy season, along with increased population movements in the area contribute to this unusually high incidence of cholera. The summer in botswana coincides with the rainy season. The lack of rainfall during its rainy season in the southern part of africa has been very hard on the agriculture occasioning loss of crops and dryness even ending to drought in southern malawi, central zimbabwe and southern mozambique. The key features of the west african monsoon are the low level southwesterly. A brief overview of africas dry and rainy seasons tripsavvy. International journal of climatology, 28 3, 329342. Sep 17, 2018 rainy season in nigeria is a blessing and curse. Predicting monthly and seasonal rainfall, onset and cessation of the rainy season in west africa using only surface data june 2000 international journal of climatology 208.
Exploiting rainy season potential from the onset of rains. Especially in semiarid or arid regions, where rainfall is limited to only few months per year, rainfall is the most important factor affecting crop growth and yield. The most important problems associated with rainfall variability as a result of changes in moisture availability are. Figure 3 shows climatic zones in west africa and the lengths of the growing season in each zone. In western africa, there are two rainy seasons across southern sections, but only one across the north. Temperatures over west africa have increased over the last 50 years, in line with an increase in global temperatures niang and others, 2014. A few video shorts taken travelling between customers in missebo and in. Every year, farmers are faced with the crucial question when to start planting. The wet season sometimes called the rainy season is the time of year when most of a regions average annual rainfall occurs. Smc is a campaignstyle intervention that involves giving an antimalarial medicine at monthly intervals for a maximum of four months during the rainy season when malaria transmission spikes. Climate prediction centers africa hazards outlook april. West africa bracing for harsh rainy season voice of america.
Many of the main safari areas of kenya, like the masai mara and lake nakuru, are in the southwest of the country, and the rains tend to fall between midapril and the start of june. The rainfall varies and can even miss an area leading to drought. The rainy season is the time when the lifegiving rains bring new life to the wilderness areas of africa, bringing forth new growth and it is a time that is considered to be the low season with regards to safari travel. Smc is a campaignstyle intervention that involves giving an antimalarial medicine at monthly intervals for a maximum of four months during the. Deepest sleep music relaxing music, fall asleep fast, meditation music for stress reli bgm channel 430 watching live now. On one hand, the people get a break from the scorching sun, temperatures drop, and the crops get enough water. This is because like other works of nature, there are many advantages and disadvantages of rain. Tanzania climate a fairly similar weather pattern to kenyas. The impact of global warming on rainfall in west africa, however, remains notoriously difficult to assess in a climate that is susceptible to significant variation at multiple time scales. African safari guide africa rainy season safari seasons. The climate of africa is a range of climates such as the equatorial climate, the tropical wet and. The impact of global warming on rainfall in west africa, however, remains notoriously difficult to assess in a climate that is.
Institute of geography, university of augsburg, 86159 augsburg, germany. Hi, we are seniors who wants to take a trip to south africa in 2014. Seasonal forecasting of the onset of the rainy season in. The climate is tropical and humid with a wet and a dry season. The dry season with a northeasterly harmattan lasts from december to may.
The gambia lies in a region that arguably has the most agreeable climate in west africa. In liberia, the climate is tropical, hot and humid all year round, with a rainy season from may to october due to the african monsoon, and pretty frequent rains in the other months, except in the short dry season that runs from december to february, which is more marked in the north. Zambia climate a somewhat different weather pattern from kenyas, with just one, shorter rainy season. Exploiting rainy season potential from the onset of rains in the sahelian zone of west africa. In this post, we will tell you about the months of the rainy season in nigeria. This paper characterizes the influence of the maddenjulian oscillation mjo on spring rainy season marchjune convection variability over equatorial west africa ewa and investigates mechanisms of association. It is true that there are some areas that close to visitors during the rainy season due to inaccessibility but there are. Ebola activity heats up as west africas rainy season. Temperatures highs tend to average 29c 84f 34c 93f. Despite the late start of the rainy season flowed by regular rainfall amount, the season. Guinea weather, climate and geography world travel guide. Do the first rainfalls after the dry season resemble the onset of the rainy season ors or not. East africa also has distinct dry and rainy seasons, while southern. Along the coast, the rains are significant also in march and november, and even in december on the westernmost part see san pedro, tabou.
At higher latitudes, precipitation decreases and is limited to a wet season. Sudan and guinean zone in west africa for a period of eleven. Feb 12, 2014 cotonou, republic du benin, west africa may 2014. Areas with a savannah climate in subsaharan africa, such as ghana, burkina faso, darfur, eritrea, ethiopia, and botswana have a distinct rainy season. Zanzibar climate a similar weather pattern to the kenya coast. Predicting the regional onset of the rainy season in west. The southern areas of west africa have two rainy seasons, one lasting from the end of april to midjuly, and another, shorter one in september and october. A number of factors influence the climate of the african continent. What is the best time to visit and when is the rainy season. In this study an approach for seasonal forecasting of the ors is proposed using precipitation information from a global seasonal ensemble prediction system. Equatorial west and central africa have a monsoon climate defined by.
Monsoon months this is a sovereign country located in yep, you guessed it africa. The maddenjulian oscillations influence on spring rainy. I understand this is the beginning of the rainy season in most areas. Here the rain falls from october until april, the dry season being from may until september. Jun, 20 as the rainy season begins in west and central africa, meteorological experts are warning of above average rainfall, flash floods and overflowing rivers in the western sahel. Sa is the 25thbiggest country on planet earth and the 24thmost populous one with a total of 56 million citizens. There is a rainy season in this case, the monsoon season, which lasts two to three months at latitude 16 n on the west coast, three to four months at 14 n, six to.
Trends in the start of the wet season over africa royal. Onset of the rainy season and crop yield in west africa. Exploiting rainy season potential from the onset of rains in. The monsoon season with a southwesterly wind lasts from june to november. February and march have been observed to be the hottest months of the year in nigeria and the rest of west africa. Therefore, the climate in africa is hot and dry, which leads to the formation of deserts north africa morocco algeria tunisia egypt west africa canary islands cape verde nigeria east africa ethiopia uganda kenya. Predicting monthly and seasonal rainfall, onset and. Second, the near bisection of the continent by the equator results in a largely symmetrical arrangement of. In gambia, a serious storm has hit four regions causing widespread destruction of houses. In wa west africa, the novapr period is known as the dry season, while humidity levels are still high. The rainy season in west africa generally falls from the end of april july and again in septemberoctober.
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