Articles | Volume 22, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-1745-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-1745-2026
Research article
 | 
02 Jun 2026
Research article |  | 02 Jun 2026

Intraseasonal modulation of sea surface temperatures in the Tropical North Atlantic by African Easterly Waves

Marc Kakante Mendy, Florent Gasparin, Manon Gévaudan, Moussa Diakhaté, Issa Sakho, and Julien Jouanno

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Cited articles

Banzon, V., Smith, T. M., Chin, T. M., Liu, C., and Hankins, W.: A long-term record of blended satellite and in situ sea-surface temperature for climate monitoring, modeling and environmental studies, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 8, 165–176, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-8-165-2016, 2016. 
Bercos-Hickey, E. and Patricola, C. M.: Drivers of Atlantic tropical cyclogenesis: African easterly waves and the environment, Geophys. Res. Lett., 52, e2024GL112002, https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112002, 2025. 
Bercos-Hickey, E., Nathan, T. R., and Chen, S.-H.: Saharan dust and the African easterly jet–African easterly wave system: structure, location and energetics, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 143, 2797–2808, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3128, 2017. 
Berry, G. J. and Thorncroft, C.: Case study of an intense African easterly wave, Mon. Weather Rev., 133, 752–766, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR2884.1, 2005. 
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Short summary
The North Tropical Atlantic plays an important role in shaping climate in the region. In our study we examined how African Easterly Waves influence the ocean surface. Using numerical modelling and buoy records, we found that these waves can warm or cool the sea by more than half a degree. The faster waves have the strongest impact. Because sea temperature affects rainfall and storms, understanding these waves can help improve weather and climate forecasts.
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