Assessing Prone Areas to Heavy Rainfall and the Impaction of the Upper Warm Temperature Anomaly during March–May Rainfall Season in Tanzania
This study analyses the spatial and temporal distribution of heavy rainfall events (HREs) and its associated circulation anomalies over Tanzania during March to May (MAM) rainfall season of 1980–2010. A total of 822 HREs were revealed, concentrated over the northern sector (NS) of the country. Years...
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Series: | Advances in Meteorology |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/8353296 |
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doaj-55febc485cbb47efb3466816c9e8890e2020-11-24T21:38:07ZengHindawi LimitedAdvances in Meteorology1687-93091687-93172018-01-01201810.1155/2018/83532968353296Assessing Prone Areas to Heavy Rainfall and the Impaction of the Upper Warm Temperature Anomaly during March–May Rainfall Season in TanzaniaKantamla Biseke Mafuru0Tan Guirong1Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster, Ministry of Education (KLME), Joint International Research Laboratory of Climate and Environment Change (ILCBC), Collaborative Disasters (CIC-FEMD), Nanjing 210044, ChinaKey Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster, Ministry of Education (KLME), Joint International Research Laboratory of Climate and Environment Change (ILCBC), Collaborative Disasters (CIC-FEMD), Nanjing 210044, ChinaThis study analyses the spatial and temporal distribution of heavy rainfall events (HREs) and its associated circulation anomalies over Tanzania during March to May (MAM) rainfall season of 1980–2010. A total of 822 HREs were revealed, concentrated over the northern sector (NS) of the country. Years with anomalous HREs are associated with low-level westerly convergence, advection of moisture from both the Indian Ocean and Congo basin, an upper warm temperature anomaly (UWTA), intensified and well-positioned Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and pronounced rising motion since the ascending limb of the Walker type of circulation is centered over Tanzania. The analysis of the UWTA in this study has brought a key factor in exploring the possible likely cause and improved early warning system for the HREs during the MAM rainfall season in Tanzania. Making use of the thermal wind equation and the velocity divergent form of the continuity equation (DFCE), we found that the UWTA results into an upper-level horizontal wind divergence which significantly accelerates vertical ascent, deepening the surface low pressure for an enhanced convective process and HREs formation.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/8353296 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Kantamla Biseke Mafuru Tan Guirong |
spellingShingle |
Kantamla Biseke Mafuru Tan Guirong Assessing Prone Areas to Heavy Rainfall and the Impaction of the Upper Warm Temperature Anomaly during March–May Rainfall Season in Tanzania Advances in Meteorology |
author_facet |
Kantamla Biseke Mafuru Tan Guirong |
author_sort |
Kantamla Biseke Mafuru |
title |
Assessing Prone Areas to Heavy Rainfall and the Impaction of the Upper Warm Temperature Anomaly during March–May Rainfall Season in Tanzania |
title_short |
Assessing Prone Areas to Heavy Rainfall and the Impaction of the Upper Warm Temperature Anomaly during March–May Rainfall Season in Tanzania |
title_full |
Assessing Prone Areas to Heavy Rainfall and the Impaction of the Upper Warm Temperature Anomaly during March–May Rainfall Season in Tanzania |
title_fullStr |
Assessing Prone Areas to Heavy Rainfall and the Impaction of the Upper Warm Temperature Anomaly during March–May Rainfall Season in Tanzania |
title_full_unstemmed |
Assessing Prone Areas to Heavy Rainfall and the Impaction of the Upper Warm Temperature Anomaly during March–May Rainfall Season in Tanzania |
title_sort |
assessing prone areas to heavy rainfall and the impaction of the upper warm temperature anomaly during march–may rainfall season in tanzania |
publisher |
Hindawi Limited |
series |
Advances in Meteorology |
issn |
1687-9309 1687-9317 |
publishDate |
2018-01-01 |
description |
This study analyses the spatial and temporal distribution of heavy rainfall events (HREs) and its associated circulation anomalies over Tanzania during March to May (MAM) rainfall season of 1980–2010. A total of 822 HREs were revealed, concentrated over the northern sector (NS) of the country. Years with anomalous HREs are associated with low-level westerly convergence, advection of moisture from both the Indian Ocean and Congo basin, an upper warm temperature anomaly (UWTA), intensified and well-positioned Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and pronounced rising motion since the ascending limb of the Walker type of circulation is centered over Tanzania. The analysis of the UWTA in this study has brought a key factor in exploring the possible likely cause and improved early warning system for the HREs during the MAM rainfall season in Tanzania. Making use of the thermal wind equation and the velocity divergent form of the continuity equation (DFCE), we found that the UWTA results into an upper-level horizontal wind divergence which significantly accelerates vertical ascent, deepening the surface low pressure for an enhanced convective process and HREs formation. |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/8353296 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT kantamlabisekemafuru assessingproneareastoheavyrainfallandtheimpactionoftheupperwarmtemperatureanomalyduringmarchmayrainfallseasonintanzania AT tanguirong assessingproneareastoheavyrainfallandtheimpactionoftheupperwarmtemperatureanomalyduringmarchmayrainfallseasonintanzania |
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