West African monsoon (Q1159)
Subject, term, tag: West African monsoon
- West African monsoon (WAfriM)
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | West African monsoon |
Subject, term, tag: West African monsoon |
|
Statements
IPCC Glossary v1.5
1 reference
27 May 2026
The West African monsoon (WAfriM) is a seasonal reversal in wind and precipitation whose domain includes Benin, Burkina-Faso, northern Cameroon, Cape Verde, northern Central African Republic, Chad, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. The WAfriM is characterized by the northward progression from May to September of moist low-level south-westerlies from the Gulf of Guinea. In May and June, rainfall essentially remains along the Guinean coast with a maximum occurring near 5°N, followed by a sudden decrease of rainfall, marking the ‘short dry season‘ in the Guinean coast and the monsoon onset in the Sahel. Then rainfall continues to progress northward up to about 18–20°N, with a maximum near 12°N in late August/September, until it retreats starting from October towards the Guinean coast for a second maximum. Further details on how WAfriM is defined and used throughout the Report are provided in Annex V. (English)
IPCC Glossary v1.5
1 reference
27 May 2026