Low-level stratiform clouds and dynamical features observed within the southern West African monsoon

Dione, Cheikh; Lohou, Fabienne; Lothon, Marie; Adler, Bianca; Babić, Karmen; Kalthoff, Norbert; Pedruzo-Bagazgoitia, Xabier; Bezombes, Yannick; Gabella, Omar

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-8979-2019

Articles | Volume 19, issue 13

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-8979-2019

© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Special issue:

Results of the project "Dynamics–aerosol–chemistry–cloud...

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-8979-2019

© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 19, issue 13

Research article

|

16 Jul 2019

Research article |

| 16 Jul 2019

Low-level stratiform clouds and dynamical features observed within the southern West African monsoon

Cheikh Dione, Fabienne Lohou, Marie Lothon, Bianca Adler, Karmen Babić, Norbert Kalthoff, Xabier Pedruzo-Bagazgoitia, Yannick Bezombes, and Omar Gabella

Data sets

DACCIWA field campaign, Savè super-site, UPS instrumentation S. Derrien, Y. Bezombes, G. Bret, O. Gabella, C. Jarnot, P. Medina, E. Piques, C. Delon, C. Dione, B. Campistron, P. Durand, C. Jambert, F. Lohou, M. Lothon, F. Pacifico, and Y. Meyerfeld https://doi.org/10.6096/DACCIWA.1618

DACCIWA field campaign, Savè super-site, Cloud and precipitation J. Handwerker, S. Scheer, and T. Gamer https://doi.org/10.6096/dacciwa.1686

DACCIWA field campaign, Savè super-site, Surface measurements M. Kohler, N. Kalthoff, J. Seringer, and S. Kraut https://doi.org/10.6096/dacciwa.1690

DACCIWA field campaign, Savè super-site, Thermodynamic data sets A. Wieser, B. Adler, and B. Deny https://doi.org/10.6096/DACCIWA.1659

Short summary

Low atmospheric dynamics and low-level cloud (LLC) macrophysical properties are analyzed using in situ and remote sensing data collected from 20 June to 30 July at Savè, Benin, during the DACCIWA field campaign in 2016. We find that the low-level jet (LLJ), LLCs, monsoon flow, and maritime inflow reveal a day-to-day variability. LLCs form at the same level as the jet core height. The cloud base height is stationary at night and remains below the jet. The cloud top height is found above the jet.