Coastal observations of weather features in Senegal during the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis Special Observing Period 3

Key measurements are aimed at investigating African easterly waves (AEWs) and mesoscale convective systems in a coastal environment as they transition to the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Ground and aircraft instruments include polarimetric radar, a coarse and a high-density rain gauge network, surface chemical measurements, 12 m meteorological measurement, broadband IR, solar and microwave measurements, rawinsonde, aircraft dropsonde, lidar, and cloud radar measurements.

Ground observations during SOP3 show that Senegal was influenced by 5 squall lines, 6 Saharan air layer intrusions, and 10 AEWs. Downstream tropical cyclones developed were associated with the passage of four AEWs. FA-20 aircraft measurements of microphysical aspects of 22 September squall line and several nondeveloping AEWs over the extreme eastern Atlantic Ocean are presented.