This article examines the question of the existence of waves on the tropical easterly jet (TEJ) over West Africa. The TEJ is a well-known feature of the Asian monsoon and waves on the jet have been implicated in various weather phenomena. Its role in West African meteorology has received little attention. A model simulation of wet and dry years over West Africa predicted wave development on the TEJ. NCEP reanalysis data confirmed the existence of these waves, using case studies in the dry year 1983 and the wet year 1950. Both the simulated and observed waves are of planetary scale, with a period of 5–6 days. Potential vorticity (PV) theory suggests that they develop via interactions between the surface and the TEJ. Overall, the results suggest that interactions between the TEJ and African easterly jet play an important role in the development of wave disturbances over West Africa.

No abstract

No abstract

This study utilizes a linear, primitive equation spherical model to study the development and propagation of easterly wave disturbances over West Africa. Perturbations are started from an initial disturbance consisting of a barotropic vortex and the governing equations are integrated forward in time. The perturbations are introduced into basic states corresponding to the observed dynamical and thermodynamical characteristics of two wet years in the Sahel and two dry years.The model simulations show consistent contrasts in wave activity between the wet and dry years. The waves are markedly stronger in the wet years and show a barotropic structure throughout the troposphere. The waves tend to extend throughout the troposphere to the level of the tropical easterly jet (TEJ) in the wet years, but not in the dry years. The upper-tropospheric shear, which is stronger in wet years, appears to be a key factor in wave development. This shear is dependent on the intensity of the TEJ, suggesting that the TEJ is an important factor in interannual variability in the Sahel. When the overall shear is weak, vertical development is suppressed.Another contrast is that in the dry years the growth rates show a single maximum around 3000-4000 km, but in the wet years there is a second, around 6000-7000 km. This suggests that both synoptic-scale and planetary-scale waves are active in the rainy season of some wet years. Imposing considerations of potential vorticity, the generation of planetary-scale waves implies a strong link between the surface and the TEJ in wet years. Such a link is absent in the dry years. This is likely a major factor in the interannual variability of rainfall in the Sahel.