@article{fdi:010068759,
  title = {{R}ecent climatological trend of the {S}aharan heat low and its impact on the {W}est {A}frican climate},
  author = {{L}avaysse, {C}. and {F}lamant, {C}. and {E}van, {A}. and {J}anicot, {S}erge and {G}aetani, {M}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he {S}aharan heat low ({SHL}) plays a pivotal role in the {W}est {A}frican monsoon system in spring and summer. {T}he recent trend in {SHL} activity has been analysed using two sets of numerical weather prediction ({NWP}) model reanalyses and {A}tmospheric {M}odels {I}ntercomparison {P}roject simulations from 15 climate models performed in the framework of the 5th {C}oupled {M}odels {I}ntercomparison {P}roject ({CMIP}5) exercise. {A} local increase of temperature in the {S}ahara during the 90s is found in the two sets of {NWP} models temperature. {T}his increase is stronger within the {SHL} region than over the surrounding areas. {U}sing different temporal filters (under 25 days, 25-100 days and above 300 days), we show that this is accompanied by a slight but widespread increase of temperature, and a change in the filtered signal under 25 days during the transition period of the 90s. {W}e also show that {SHL} pulsations occurring at different time scales impact the {W}est {A}frica climate on a variety of spatial scales, from the regional scale (for the high band pass) to the synoptic scale (for the low band pass signal). {D}espite a large variability in the temporal trends for 15 climate models from the {CMIP}5 project, the warming trend in the 90s is observed in the models ensemble mean. {N}evertheless, large discrepancies are found between the {NWP} models reanalyses and the climate model simulations regarding the spatial and temporal evolutions of the {SHL} as well as its impact on {W}est {A}frican climate at the different time scales. {T}hese comparisons also reveal that climate models represent the {W}est {A}frican monsoon interactions with {SHL} pulsations quite differently. {W}e provide recommendations to use some of them depending on the time scales of the processes at play (synoptic, seasonal, interannual) and based on key {SHL} metrics (location, mean intensity, global trend, interaction with the {W}est {A}frican monsoon dynamics).},
  keywords = {{W}est {A}frican monsoon ; {H}eat low ; {P}recipitation ; {C}limate change ; {N}umerical weather prediction model reanalyses, climate models ; {AFRIQUE} {DE} {L}'{OUEST} ; {SAHARA}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{C}limate {D}ynamics},
  volume = {47},
  numero = {11},
  pages = {3479--3498},
  ISSN = {0930-7575},
  year = {2016},
  DOI = {10.1007/s00382-015-2847-z},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010068759},
}