@article{fdi:010077091,
  title = {{S}patio-temporal variability of cloud cover types in {W}est {A}frica with satellite-based and reanalysis data},
  author = {{D}anso, {D}. {K}. and {A}nquetin, {S}. and {D}iedhiou, {A}rona and {L}avaysse, {C}hristophe and {K}obea, {A}. and {T}oure, {N}. {E}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}his study aims to understand and document the occurrence and variability of cloud cover types in {W}est {A}frica ({WA}). {I}nvestigations are carried out with a 10-year hourly record of two cloud data products: {CERES} passive satellite observations and {ERA}5 reanalysis. {T}he seasonal evolutions of high ({HCC}), middle ({MCC}), low ({LCC}) and total ({TCC}) cloud cover are examined. {B}oth products agree on the seasonal and spatial occurrence of cloud cover, although {CERES} presents lower values of cloud fraction than {ERA}5 which is partly attributed to the inability of the satellite sensor to detect optically thin clouds in the atmosphere. {S}outhern {WA} is found to be cloudier than other parts of the region in all seasons with mean {TCC} fractions of 70 and 80% for {CERES} and {ERA}5 respectively during the monsoon season. {I}n all seasons, the presence of {LCC} over large areas of the {S}ahel/{S}ahara region is noted in the {CERES} product. {T}his could be due to a possible misinterpretation of {S}aharan dust as low clouds which may have thus, caused it to overestimate the occurrences and fractions of {LCC} over this region. {N}orthern {WA} is associated with higher frequencies of no cloud occurrence events, unlike the south where cloudless skies are rarely observed. {F}urthermore, in southern {WA}, overcast conditions of {LCC} are observed for a significant number of times (up to 20% of the time during the rainy season in {CERES} and 40% in {ERA}5). {T}he climatology of cloud cover presented in this study could be useful for the planning of solar energy projects.},
  keywords = {{CERES} ; cloud cover ; {ERA}5 ; occurrence frequency ; variability ; {W}est {A}frica ; {AFRIQUE} {DE} {L}'{OUEST} ; {NIGER} ; {BURKINA} {FASO} ; {SENEGAL} ; {BENIN} ; {COTE} {D}'{IVOIRE} ; {ZONE} {SAHELIENNE} ; {ZONE} {SOUDANIENNE} ; {ZONE} {GUINEENNE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{Q}uarterly {J}ournal of the {R}oyal {M}eteorological {S}ociety},
  volume = {145},
  numero = {725},
  pages = {3715--3731},
  ISSN = {0035-9009},
  year = {2019},
  DOI = {10.1002/qj.3651},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010077091},
}