Climatology, annual cycle and interannual variability of precipitation and temperature in CORDEX simulations over West Africa

摘要: We examine the ability of an ensemble 10 Regional Climate Models (RCMs), driven by ERA-Interim reanalysis, in skillfully reproducing key features present-day precipitation and temperature (1990-2008) over West Africa. explore a wide range time scales spanning seasonal climatologies, annual cycles interannual variability, number spatial covering Sahel, Gulf Guinea entire find that RCMs show acceptable performance simulating distribution main features. The occurrence African Monsoon jump, intensification northward shift Saharan Heat Low (SHL), during course year, are shown to be realistic most RCMs. They also capture mean cycle temperature, including, single double-peaked rainy seasons, terms timing amplitude homogeneous sub-regions. However, we should emphasize exhibit some biases, which vary considerably both magnitude extent from model model. variability anomalies is best reproduced rather than precipitation. improves skill individual This highlights importance performing multi-model assessment properly estimating response climate global warming at seasonal, scales.