Articles | Volume 4, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-229-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-229-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
22 Mar 2023
Research article |
| 22 Mar 2023
| 22 Mar 2023
Effects on early monsoon rainfall in West Africa due to recent deforestation in a convection-permitting ensemble
School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Cornelia Klein
UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, UK
Department of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
Sonja Folwell
UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, UK
Christopher M. Taylor
UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, UK
National Centre for Earth Observation, Wallingford, UK
Douglas J. Parker
School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS, Bergen, Norway
Adama Bamba
Laboratory of Material Sciences, Environment and Solar Energy (LASMES), Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Kouakou Kouadio
Laboratory of Material Sciences, Environment and Solar Energy (LASMES), Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Geophysical Station of Lamto, BP 31, N'Douci, Côte d'Ivoire
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The impact of initial soil moisture is more significant on temperature extremes than on precipitation extremes. A stronger impact is found on maximum temperature than on minimum temperature. The impact on extreme precipitation indices is homogeneous, especially over the Central Sahel, and dry (wet) experiments tend to decrease (increase) the number of precipitation extreme events but not their intensity.
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Short summary
We estimate recent deforestation in West Africa and use a climate model allowing explicit convection to determine impacts on early season rainfall. We find enhanced rainfall over deforestation, in line with recent observational results, due to changes in circulation rather than humidity, showing potential for future studies. Local changes depend on initial soil moisture, deforestation extent, and ocean proximity, with sea breezes shifting inland where surface friction decreased.
We estimate recent deforestation in West Africa and use a climate model allowing explicit...
