vf-tropicom Meteorological Analysis for West Africa

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Seasonal Vegetation Index - 2006/2007

Seasonal Vegetative Index


Seasonal Rainfall - 2006/2007
in mm
Seasonal Rainfall

Calculated Rain Line Location Across the Season
Rain Line Location

River Basin Seasonal Rainfall Analysis
For West Africa

River Basin Rainfall

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Preliminary Monthly Weather Analysis
West Africa 2006/2007

From the African Desk, Climate Prediction Center, NOAA
Note: This information should be used with caution.
Weather data are based on preliminary reports.

  • March 1-10 2007 - Seasonably dry weather prevailed across the Sahel and the northern areas of the Gulf of Guinea region. Isolated showers (50-115 mm; 225-439% of normal) soaked coastal Côte d’Ivoire, and the southwestern coast of Ghana. Temperatures were generally 1 to 4 degrees C above normal across western Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea region. They were 1 to 2 degrees C below average across central and eastern Sahel. >
  • February 2007 - Seasonably dry weather prevailed across the Sahel and the northern areas of the Gulf of Guinea. Coastal areas in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo, as well as southeastern Nigeria received (25-50 mm; 110-200% of normal).
  • February 21-28 2007 - Seasonably dry weather prevailed across the Sahel. Isolated showers (160-433 mm; 381-650% of normal) soaked the southeastern coastal areas of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Temperatures were generally 1 to 3 degrees C above normal across the Sahel.
  • February 1-10 2007 - Unseasonably heavy showers (10-50 mm, 200-500% of normal) fell along the Gulf of Guinea coast from Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria, while the Sahel was hot and dry to the north. Temperatures across the region ranged from 2 to 4 degrees C above normal. Mean temperatures neared 30 degrees C from Senegal to western Niger.
  • January 1-10 2007 - Seasonably dry weather prevailed, with nearly the entire region reporting no rainfall. A broad area of the Sahel reported below-normal temperatures, part of a large-scale pattern extending into southern Asia. Temperatures averaged 1 to 4 degrees C below normal from Mali eastward and northward into Egypt.
  • December 11-20 2006 - Seasonably dry weather prevailed, with a few showers (2-45 mm, 100-115% of normal) from southwestern Ghana to the coast of Côte d’Ivoire. Temperatures averaged 2 to 3 degrees C above normal from Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria, as well as in Burkina Faso, and near normal elsewhere.
  • December 1-10 2006 - Seasonably dry weather prevailed, with a few showers (1-36 mm) near the coast of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Temperatures averaged near normal.
  • November 2006 - Rainfall amounts were measurable only in the southern areas of the Gulf of Guinea region, although light in many areas, including southern Côte d’Ivoire, most of Ghana, and Togo. Abundant rains resulted in ample moisture in southern Benin. Seasonable dryness prevailed across the Sahel.
  • November 21-30 2006 - Seasonable dryness prevailed in the Sahel, while little or no rain sustained moisture deficits in most areas in the Gulf of Guinea region. Temperature departures averaged 1 to 3 degrees C above normal across most of western Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea region. They were 1 to 2 degrees C below normal across Burkina Faso and Niger.
  • November 11-20 2006 - Seasonable dryness prevailed in the Sahel and the northern areas of the Gulf of Guinea region. However, little or no rain fell along coastal Gulf Guinea. Temperature departures averaged 1 to 3 degrees C above normal across most of the region.
  • October 2006 - West African rainfall amounts generally neared or exceeded the norms, especially from eastern Mali into Chad and southward through Ghana to Nigeria. October closed out a mostly favorable growing season for the Sahel countries. Temperatures averaged near to slightly above normal.
  • October 21-31 2006 - Rainfall continued to diminish in the Sahel despite lingering light to moderate showers over southern Senegal, southern Mali, and southern Burkina Faso. Rainfall was generally variable and normal to above normal to the south across the Gulf of Guinea countries. Heaviest rains of over 100 mm hit southern Nigeria. Temperature readings were on the high side, averaging 2 to 4 degrees C above normal from eastern Senegal into western Niger and south to the coast.
  • October 11-20 2006 - Rainfall continued to diminish in the Sahel despite lingering moderate to heavy showers (14-96 mm; 103-520% of normal) over western Senegal, extreme southeastern Mali, most of Burkina Faso, and local areas in western Niger. Lighter rains (1-14 mm; 2-67% of normal) fell over southeastern Senegal, western and central Mali. Moderate to heavy rains (16-48 mm; 135-242% of normal) fell over local areas in western and southern Chad. Light rains (3-11 mm (7-50% of normal) fell over most areas in southern Chad. Seasonable dryness prevailed in the northern areas of the Sahel, including northern Senegal, most of Mauritania, eastern Mali, and most of Niger. In the Gulf of Guinea region, moderate to heavy rains (35-113 mm; 103-372% of normal) fell along the coast. Lighter rains but still above normal (15-37 mm; 84-212% of normal) fell over the northern areas of Benin, Togo, and Ghana. Below normal rains (2-15 mm; 5-66% of normal) spread across the central areas of Benin, Togo, and Ghana. Rainfall (5-23 mm; 4-49% of normal) continued to be light across most of Guinea, while dry conditions prevailed in the south. Satellite rainfall estimates indicated light rains (10-25 mm) over most of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Temperature departures averaged 1 to 2 degrees C above normal across the region.
  • October 1-10 2006 - Rainfall diminished significantly in the Sahel as the ITCZ began its southward swing. However, above normal rains (11-31 mm; 84-387% of normal) fell over local areas in southern Niger, and eastern and central Burkina Faso. Scattered showers (30-50 mm; 90-142% of normal) soaked portions of the west coast of Senegal. Lighter rains (1-18 mm(5-66% of normal) fell across the groundnut basin of Senegal and most of western Mali, while dry conditions prevailed over Mauritania, southern Senegal, and western Niger. According to the satellite rainfall estimates heavy rains (50-100 mm)were confined to local areas in southern Chad. In the Gulf of Guinea region, light rains (5-39 mm; 8-43% of normal) continued to sustain moisture deficit across Guinea. Rainfall was also lighter than normal along the Guinean coast from Côte d’Ivoire into Benin. However, moderate to heavy showers (32-100 mm; 79-202% of normal) spread across the northern areas of Benin, Togo, and Ghana. Satellite rainfall estimates indicated moderate to heavy showers (25-100 mm) across Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Temperature departures generally averaged 1 to 3 degrees C above normal across the region.
  • September 2006 - Abundant rains (44-291 mm; 78-309% of normal) spread across southern Niger, most of Burkina Faso, southern Mali, southern and western Senegal including portions of the groundnut basin. However, below normal rainfall (7-83 mm; 8-71% of normal) prevailed over most of northern and eastern Senegal and the western end of Mali. Rainfall was even lighter over southern Mauritania. In the Gulf of Guinea region, moisture surplus (57-247 mm; 89-158% of normal) covered most of Benin, southern Togo, local areas in northern and southern Ghana, and central and southern Côte d’Ivoire. Light to moderate rains (37-135 mm; 12-27% of normal) fell across Guinea.
  • September 21-30 2006 - Beneficial rains (19-90 mm; 121-652% of normal) doused the crop growing areas of Niger from east to west, alleviating poor rain performance in many areas over the past period. The western half of Burkina Faso, southeastern Mali, and local areas in western and southwestern Senegal also benefited from good rains (30-107 mm; 90-198% of normal). However, overall, rainfall diminished over most of Senegal including the groundnut basin where amounts ranged only between 1 and 55 mm (45-77% of normal). Light rains (11-19 mm; 31-38% of normal) also fell over western and central Mali, while dry conditions prevailed over Mauritania. Moderate to heavy rains (39-163 mm; 90-213% of normal) persisted over southern Chad. In the Gulf of Guinea region, moderate to heavy rains (54-109 mm; 83-370% of normal) soaked northern and southern Benin, western and southeastern Ghana, and local areas in central Côte d’Ivoire. Lighter rains (2-43 mm; 3-42% of normal) fell over Guinea, most of central Ghana, most of Togo, and local areas in central Benin. Temperature departures averaged 1 to2 degrees C above normal across the region.
  • September 11-20 2006 - The western half of Senegal from north to south including the groundnut basin, and isolated areas in the far southeast continued to receive beneficial rains as amounts ranged between 31 and 172 mm (132-209% of normal). Beneficial rains (10-101 mm; 98-248% of normal) also fell over central Mali, northern Burkina Faso, and locally over portions of southwestern Niger. Isolated areas in southern Niger received 20-37 mm (107-137% of normal), while light rains (1-14 mm; 4-48% of normal) fell in most of the country. Heavy rains (57-288 mm; 86-191% of normal) were confined to southern Chad. In the Gulf of Guinea region, moderate to heavy rains (25-153 mm; 108-240% of normal) soaked Benin and Togo, while portions of southeastern Cote d’Ivoire received 17-32 mm (89-105% of normal). Below normal rainfall (5-17 mm) covered most of Ghana, while Guinea received 13-89 mm; 11-79% of normal). Temperatures were generally 1 to 3 degrees C above normal across the region.
  • August 2006 - Monthly rainfall totaled near to above normal (100-400 mm, 75-130% of normal) from Senegal to Chad, contributing to seasonal cumulative rainfall being generally near or above normal across the agricultural areas of the Sahel region. An area of below-normal rainfall (10-100 mm, 10-75% of normal) extended from southern Mali southward into Guinea, Liberia, and Côte d’Ivoire and into southern Ghana. The heaviest rains this month, exceeding 300 mm, fell along the coast from southwestern Senegal to Sierra Leone, over central and eastern Nigeria, and southern Chad. Temperatures averaged near normal.
  • August 21-31 2006 - Normal to above-normal rainfall (50-150 mm, 70-290% of normal) covered the Sahel agricultural areas from Senegal to Chad. Lighter rains (0-20 mm, 0-50% of normal) fell to the south across much of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, central and eastern Guinea, and southern parts of Togo and Benin. Heaviest rains (over 200 mm) fell along the coast of Guinea and Sierra Leone and, according to satellite estimates, over portions of central and southern Nigeria. Temperatures averaged mostly near normal.
  • August 11-20 2006 - Rainfall was again quite variable across the Sahel. Thunderstorms spread moderate to heavy rains (71-152 mm; 82-194% of normal) and sustained moisture over most of Burkina Faso, pockets in southwestern Mali, the groundnut basin and areas in southern and far western Senegal as well as pockets in the east. Beneficial rains (26-82 mm; 89-152% of normal) also brought relief to portions of southeastern Niger from persistent dryness. However, cumulative rainfall (1-56 mm; 1-77% of normal) sustained moisture deficit in the western areas of Niger and Mali. More rains might be needed in these areas in the next few weeks to favor good crop production. Rainfall was also below normal over southeastern Senegal, although soil wetness should be quite sufficient to sustain crop growth over the next few days. Temperatures were generally 1 to 2 degrees C above normal across the Sahel.
  • August 1-10 2006 - The Sahel as a whole from Chad to Senegal received widespread rainfall, but amounts were below average in most locations as African wave disturbances failed to organize into long-lived squall lines to sustain moisture in many locations. Rainfall amounts generally ranged between 3 and 46 mm (1-79% of normal) in most areas. However, isolated moderate to heavy showers (38-189 mm; 92-326% of normal) fell over areas in southern Chad, southern Niger, central Burkina Faso, southwestern Mali, and the southern half of Senegal, including Gambia. In southeastern Niger, the region hardest hit by long term dryness, below normal rains (18-24 mm; 51-68% of normal) continued to worsen long term dryness, while the Maine Soroa area benefited from heavy rains about 80 mm (196% of normal). In the Gulf of Guinea region, unseasonable moderate to heavy rains (12-181 mm; 118-357% of normal) fell along the coastal areas from southwestern Nigeria to Côte d’Ivoire. Satellite rainfall estimates also indicated heavy rains (100-250 mm) over most of Sierra Leone, western Guinea, and most of Nigeria. Light to moderate rains (10-75 mm) fell over eastern Guinea, western Liberia, and the northern areas of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and north central Nigeria. Temperatures were generally 1 to 2 degrees C above normal across the region.
  • July 2006 - The rainfall season continued to perform well in southern Senegal, while the northwestern part of the country benefited from heavy rains especially during the last dekad in July. Due to a slow start to the rainy season, most areas in the ground nut basin received below average rainfall. Most areas in Niger, western Mali, southern Mauritania, and central Chad also reported rainfall deficits as amounts were only 50-70% of the long term climatological mean. However, heavy rains (155-239; 81-130% of normal) sustained moisture conditions over southern Mali and most of Burkina Faso. These rains extended southward to northern areas of Benin, Togo, and Ghana. Coastal areas in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana also received sizable amounts of rains (157-182 mm; 133-195% of normal). Satellite rainfall estimates indicated moisture deficit across Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.
  • July 21-31 2006 - Rainfall was quite variable across the Sahel. The heaviest rainfall amounts (65-133 mm; 102-187% of normal) fell over southern Mali along the border with Burkina Faso and over Chad along a band from Biltine in the east to Sarh in the south. Isolated thunderstorms, though, brought moderate rains (40-124 mm; 92-95% of normal) into the coastal areas of Senegal at Saint Louis, Dakar, and Ziguinchor, while southeastern Mauritania received 33 mm about 120 of normal. Southern Niger from Birni Nkonni eastward to Goure received beneficial rains (37-59 mm; 82-111% of normal), but certainly not enough to overcome the cumulative rainfall deficit in this region. In addition, Maine Soroa, Diffa, and Nguigmi received only 10-16 mm (32-39% of normal) as long term dryness worsened in the southeastern part of this country. Rainfall amounts (34-39; 64% of normal) recorded at Tillaberi and Niamey (western Niger) were only slightly higher but still below average. Light rains (28-61 mm; 33-64% of normal) spread from western Mali into Senegal and southern Mauritania. The district of Kaolack, center of the Senegal ground nut basin received only 9 mm about 13% of normal. In the Gulf of Guinea region, isolated moderate to heavy rains soaked local areas in southwestern Nigeria, northeastern Ghana, and southern Côte d’Ivoire. Satellite rainfall estimates revealed moisture deficit over eastern Guinea, portions of northern and southern Sierra Leone, northern Liberia, northwestern Côte d’Ivoire, and northeastern Nigeria. Temperatures were generally 1 to 2 degrees C above normal across the region.
  • July 11-20 2006 - Thunderstorms spread normal to above-normal rainfall amounts (30-100 mm, 100-200% of normal) from Senegal to western Niger and southward to the Gulf of Guinea. Abundant rains (25-200 mm, 100-200% of normal) also extended across the agricultural regions of Chad. The moisture was especially welcomed in Niger and Chad, where dryness had been a problem. Nevertheless, rainfall was below normal (10-15 mm, 30-50% of normal) in parts of Niger, mainly in Tahoua and parts of Zinder and Diffa, and temperatures averaged around 2 degrees C above normal, so more rain was needed. Amounts were also not enough to remove the cumulative rainfall deficits in north-central and south-central Chad. Temperatures up to 3 degrees C above normal offset some of the benefits from the showers in north-central growing areas of Chad. July rainfall has been below normal in a few locations in southern Mali as well as south-central Mauritania and the western groundnut basin in Senegal. Diourbel in Senegal reported only 9 mm this period. The heaviest rains (150-200 mm) in the region fell over southeastern Nigeria. Temperatures averaged about 2 degrees C above normal throughout the region, except near normal in southern Chad.
  • July 1-10 2006 -
  • June 2006 - The seasonal rains started on time in Senegal and Mauritania, as rainfall was above normal in most crop areas. In Mali, the picture was mixed, as monthly rainfall totaled near normal in western and southern areas, but lagged normal in central and northern agricultural areas. Burkina saw seasonally heavy rains, but Niger reported rainfall deficits of up to 50 mm in crop areas outside of the wetter southeastern portion. To the east, outside of areas of above normal rains in west-central and east-central Chad, most of Chad’s crop areas experienced deficient rainfall (5-130 mm, 25-75% of normal). Rainfall was generally near to above normal from Liberia into Nigeria. Regional temperatures averaged near normal.
  • June 21-30 2006 - Little rain (2-10 mm) fell in western Niger and portions of south-central Niger, while temperatures averaged around 2 to 4 degrees C above normal. The rainy season should be in progress in this part of the Sahel by late June, but has been slow to start this year. Seasonal rains fell in southeastern Niger (15-40 mm), but most of Chad saw abnormally dry weather, as agricultural regions picked up generally under 25 mm, and this was 10 to 50 mm below normal. Temperatures in central and southern Chad averaged 1 to 3 degrees above normal. Elsewhere, rainfall was normal to above normal across the Sahel region, and mostly near or above normal in the Gulf of Guinea countries to the south. Temperatures outside of Niger and Chad averaged around 2 degrees C above normal. Heaviest rains fell in southern Nigeria, where satellite estimates ranged up to 200 mm.
  • June 11-20 2006 - Overall rainfall diminished in most previously wet areas. Thus, below normal rainfall, extended from the southern coast of Senegal to Mali, and from central and northeastern Burkina Faso to central Niger. Rainfall amounts in these areas averaged 3 to 36 mm (8-72% of normal). However, isolated moderate rains (16-49 mm; 99-115 % of normal) fell locally over western Mali and sustained moisture over the crop areas of western Burkina Faso. Near average rainfall amounts (5-29 mm; 95-125% of normal) also fell over local areas in northern Senegal and southeastern Niger. Rainfall amounts were heavier (41-58 mm; 101-128% of normal) over southeastern Burkina Faso and southward into the northern areas of the Gulf of Guinea countries of Benin, Togo, and Ghana. Moderate to heavy rains (33-108 mm; 94-165% of normal) doused central Côte d’Ivoire and local areas in central and southeastern Ghana, and southern Togo. Rainfall amounts were lighter (13-52 mm; 18-78% of normal) in most areas in central Ghana, southern Benin, and most of Guinea. Satellite rainfall estimates indicated suppressed rainfall activity across Sierra Leone, western Liberia, and northwestern Nigeria, where estimates averaged 1-25 mm. In contrast heavy rains (75-100 mm) soaked north central Nigeria, and rainfall estimates were less but still moderate to heavy (25-75 mm) elsewhere in the country. Temperature departures averaged 1 to 2 degrees C above normal across the Sahel.
  • June 1-10 2006 - Seasonably wet weather confirmed a good start to the rainfall season in portions of the Sahel. Southern and eastern Senegal as well as crop areas in western Burkina Faso and western Niger received 101-297% of normal, with 28-84 mm in Senegal, 40-102 mm in Burkina Faso, and 16-75 mm in Niger. Seasonable dryness returned to Mauritania, while light or no rain fell over northern and western Senegal. Light rains (3-32 mm; 15-74% of normal) also fell over most crop areas in Mali. In the Gulf of Guinea region, moderate to heavy rains 51-76 mm (113-166% of normal) doused northern and western Ghana, northeastern Benin, and the coastal areas, from southeastern Ghana to southwestern Nigeria. Eastern and western Nigeria, as well as eastern Liberia also received sizable amounts of rains (50-100 mm) according to the satellite rainfall estimates. In contrast, below normal rainfall extended from southeastern Burkina Faso to the northern and central areas of Togo and Benin, and from central Guinea to Sierra Leone and western Liberia. Temperature departures averaged 1 to 2 degrees C above normal across the Sahel.
  • May 2006 - The rainy season was generally off to a favorable start. Monthly rainfall totaled above normal (120-220% of normal) over coastal areas from Côte d’Ivoire to Cameroon and over Mali and western Burkina Faso, while below-normal readings (30-60% or normal) extended from central and eastern Burkina Faso into western Niger. Temperatures averaged near normal.
  • May 21-31 2006 - Unseasonably wet weather extended from Côte d’Ivoire and western Burkina Faso northward through Mali and into the desert. Most of the crop areas in Mali saw 30 to 100 mm or more of rain (110-400% of normal), with 20 to 60 mm in western Burkina Faso and 15 to 20 mm in eastern Senegal. Anomalous rains also hit Mauritania, where amounts of up to 17 mm were 10 times the norm for this time of the year. In contrast, below-normal amounts of 10 to 25 mm (3-50% of normal) extended from eastern Burkina Faso into northern parts of Ghana, Togo, and Benin, as well as northwestern Nigeria and western Niger. These areas experienced mostly normal rainfall during the preceding 10-day period with the exception of parts of eastern Burkina and western Niger, which have seen two consecutive periods with below-normal rainfall. Temperatures averaged near normal, except 2 to 3 degrees C below normal in southern Mali.
  • May 11-20 2006 - Rains increased across coastal areas from southern Côte d’Ivoire to coastal Nigeria, many locations reporting over 100 mm. Although rain amounts tapered off to the north, overall rainfall was near to above normal from the southern Sahel southward. Exceptions included some dry pockets in Niger and Burkina Faso. Seasonably dry weather persisted in Senegal, but the rainy season appears to have been slow to start in Guinea, where amounts were light. Temperatures averaged near to slightly below normal in the Gulf of Guinea countries and 1 to 2 degrees C above normal in the Sahel countries.
  • May 1-10 2006 - Beneficial rains (10-75 mm) advanced into northern Nigeria and across southern Chad, areas that had seen a slow start to the seasonal rains. Widespread showers (25-75 mm) extended from Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire to Cameroon. Most of the Sahel region experienced seasonably hot and dry weather. Temperatures averaged near to slightly above normal across the region.
  • April 2006 - Abnormally dry weather extended from northern Nigeria across southern Chad, as the rains were slow to get started in this region. Amounts tended to be near to slightly below normal elsewhere south of the Sahel. The Sahel countries experienced seasonably dry weather, except for seasonable to above-normal rains in parts of southern Mali and southern Burkina Faso. Temperatures averaged near to slightly above normal across West Africa.
  • April 21-30 2006 - Above-normal rains expanded into southern parts of Mali and Burkina Faso (25-90 mm, 100-350% of normal), while seasonably dry weather extended across most of the remainder of the Sahel countries. The rainy season has been a little slow to start in southern Chad as well as northern Nigeria, although up to 19 mm of rain fell in southern Chad. Ghana and coastal Côte d’Ivoire reported above-normal rains, contrasting with drier weather the previous 10 days. Temperatures across the region were mostly near normal.
  • April 11-20 2006 - Unseasonably dry weather (0-10 mm) extended from northeastern Ghana eastward across Benin, Togo, Nigeria, and southern Chad, as the ITCZ remained well south of normal from Nigeria into Sudan. Seasonable rains (1-10 mm) fell in parts of southern Mali and Burkina Faso. Temperatures were generally 2 to 3 degrees C above normal from western Burkina Faso to Senegal, and up to 7 degrees C above normal in Mauritania. The 10-day mean temperature reached as high as 39 degrees C in southeastern Mauritania.
  • April 1-10 2006 - Seasonably dry weather prevailed in the Sahel and the northern areas of the Gulf of Guinea region. Light to moderate rains (10-50 mm) fell along the coast from Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria. Rainfall was lighter (1-10 mm) over Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. Temperatures were generally 1 to 2 degrees C above average across the Sahel, except over Niger, where they were 1 to 2 degrees C cooler.

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