Africa Update #46: Rainfall Pattern Flips

Thus far this season, precipitation has been plentiful from the Nigeria-Benin border westward, with a few isolated exceptions. Meanwhile, eastward from that point, rainfall has been generally lacking, with a few exceptions. This arrangement of precipitation has flipped around this axis suddenly, and for the most part, that is a good thing.

Africa Update #45: Moisture Returns to Gulf of Guinea Coast

Moisture is picking up, and deficits are dropping, all along the Gulf of Guinea coast. Precipitation was light this past week in marginal parts of North Sudan and Chad. Across the rest of the Sahel and Ethiopia, rainfall has continued to be reasonably consistent. Seasonable rains continue in the Atlas Mountains, as dry weather continues over most of Libya.

Africa Update #36: Deficits continue from Sudan to Nigeria

While most of Africa has been seasonable, a belt stretching from Sudan to Nigeria has had poor rainfall, especially in some of the marginal and pastoral areas. Further to the west and east, rainfall has been near normal, to slightly above normal. Meanwhile along the Mediterranean Sea, light to moderate precipitation has continued across Morocco and Algeria.

Africa Update #35: Relief arrives in Chad

Rainfall surged into Chad, bringing some parts of the country, particularly the marginal areas, into positive rainfall totals for the season. Dryness, however, remains a problem in Chad, and nearby countries. Rains continue in Ethiopia, as the country is on track for a reasonable season. Far west Africa is also having an average wet season, although the rains have been slightly slow moving into Senegal. Precipitation continues in Morocco and Algeria, with trying further east.

Africa Update #32: Improvement in West Africa

This past week brought significant improvement to the available moisture in west Africa. Elsewhere, rains continue to look good in the Ethiopian Highlands and across the Maghreb.

Africa Update #31: Rains start Pulling out of GHA, insuffient in West

Northeast Kenya never received rain, and most of the rest of the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) are not fairing much better. Meanwhile in west Africa, eastern parts of the Sahel and Gulf of Guinea have been deteriorating since the  wet season began. In north Africa, moderate rainfall may be complicating the NATO mission and the civil war in Libya, as seasonal rains continue in other parts of the Maghreb.

Africa Update #30: Acute Food Security Emergency in GHA

The biggest event going on in Africa the world, as far as meteorology and food security is concerned, is the second consecutive failed wet season in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA). The impacts of this could develop into a famine, but at the least the situation has reached the "Emergency" stage. Elsewhere, rainfall is starting up well in the western Sahel, however closer to the GHA, Sahelian rains have been poor. In the north, dry weather continues in Libya, as moderate rainfall continues across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

Africa Update #29: Rainfall finally widespread in the GHA

Although this weeks rainfall requirements have been met in most of the the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA), this does nothing for past month and a half of deficits. In the west, rainfall is increasing, however, some of the more eastern areas are starting to show some dryness. Another wet week in Morocco, and in the south rainfall has just about shut off for the season.

Africa Update #28: GHA Drought may be Expanding

Poor rainfall totals in the Greater Horn of Africa appear to be spreading westward into some parts of the eastern Sahel. Meanwhile, early season rainfall continues to look good across most of west Africa, although some areas could use an increase in precipitation. Precipitation is hanging on longer than usual across Namibia and Angola, but generally winding down in the south. Morocco has had very heavy rain for the last week, causing flooding, with seasonable conditions across the rest of northern Africa.

Africa Update #27: On the Brink of Catastrophe in the East

Although there is more rain falling in eastern Africa than there has been all season long, some areas still haven't seen a drop. The rains are nearly two months late in a three month wet season. A clear Intertropical Convergence Zone has set itself up in west Africa, a good sign there. In the south the wet season continues to come to a close and is showing no signs of pulling out early. Rains are picking up in the north, including disrupting the conflict in Libya.