The sensitivity of the West African monsoon circulation to intraseasonal soil moisture feedbacks

Intraseasonal soil moisture variability has the potential to feed back onto West Africa monsoon circulation through its influence on surface turbulent fluxes and planetary boundary-layer characteristics. Using satellite observations an atmospheric reanalysis, we investigate intraseasonal moisture–atmosphere feedbacks triggered by large-scale dynamics within African monsoon. Surprisingly, even though response across Sahel strong convection is short-lived (days) precipitation accumulations are spatially temporally heterogeneous, a coherent regional-scale observed. This then feeds circulation. For example, during dry event, Sahelian significantly decreases, which elevates temperatures 1.5 °C shifts southward approximately 1.5° latitude. Also, wet event moistens cools leads northward shift. Alongside low-level wind response, Easterly Jet (AEJ) also responds changes due variations in meridional temperature gradient. increased gradient intensifies AEJ southward. The combined of westerlies impacts shear characteristics convection. Elevated promotes intensification deep southern Africa. study provides new insight into sensitivity encourages similar research other regions. An improved understanding model representation improve forecasts beyond daily time-scales enhance early warning systems.