Assessing improvement in the fifth‐generation <scp>ECMWF</scp> atmospheric reanalysis precipitation over East Africa

This study aims to assess the performance of European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) Reanalysis fifth generation (ERA5) in terms progress made over its predecessor, ERA-Interim, East Africa (EA) reproducing observed rainfall. The rainfall used as reference are Global Precipitation Climatology (GPCC) and Climate Research Unit Time Series (CRU-TS). ERA5 predecessor is evaluated using root-mean-square error (RMSE), correlation, bias. reductions wet bias from ERA-Interim 16.81–6.94% June September (JJAS), 31.99–19.33% December (SOND), 29.24–17.69% February (DJF) most EA relative CRU-TS. Similar GPCC also noted. Spatially, notable western Ethiopia, Sudan Republic, South Sudan, Uganda. decreasing trends revealed seasonal CRU-TS attributed an increase number quality assimilated observations predecessors. RMSE two correlations with consistent spatial temporal features captured Specifically, correlation monthly time series ranges 0.90 equatorial (EEA) 0.98 southern (SEA) contrast that which 0.84 EEA 0.93 SEA. However, along Great Rift Valley remained same whereas relatively weaker than ERA-Interim.