A Methodological Approach to Assess the Co-Behavior of Climate Processes over Southern Africa

The study develops an approach to assess co-behavior of climate processes. The regional response of precipitation and temperature patterns over southern Africa to the combined roles (co-behavior) of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Antarctic Oscillation (AAO), and intertropical convergence zone...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of climate 2019-05, Vol.32 (9), p.2483-2495
Main Authors: Quagraine, Kwesi A., Hewitson, Bruce, Jack, Christopher, Pinto, Izidine, Lennard, Christopher
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antarctic Oscillation
Atmospheric precipitations
Circulation patterns
Climate
Climate change
Convergence zones
El Nino
El Nino phenomena
El Nino-Southern Oscillation event
Future climates
Influence
Intertropical convergence zone
Precipitation
Precipitation-temperature relationships
Principal components analysis
Regional climates
Regional development
Self organizing maps
Southern Oscillation
Summer
Temperature
Temperature patterns
Tropical climate
Weather
Winter
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Summary:The study develops an approach to assess co-behavior of climate processes. The regional response of precipitation and temperature patterns over southern Africa to the combined roles (co-behavior) of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Antarctic Oscillation (AAO), and intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is evaluated. Self-organizing maps (SOMs) classify circulation patterns over the subcontinent, and principal component analysis (PCA) is used to identify related patterns across the data. The tropical rain belt index (TRBI), a measure of the ITCZ, is generally in phase with the AAO but mostly out of phase with ENSO. The phases of AAO may enhance or suppress ENSO impact on the location and distribution of regional precipitation and temperature over the region. This understanding of the co-behavior of large-scale processes is important to assess the impact these processes collectively have on precipitation and temperature, especially under future climate forcings.
ISSN:0894-8755
1520-0442
DOI:10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0689.1