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Understanding the variability of heatwave characteristics in southern Africa

Southern Africa is one of the regions affected by weather-related extremes (e.g., droughts, floods, and heat waves). Heatwaves were detected using three different methods, including the 90th percentile of minimum daily temperature (CTN90pct) and the Excess Heat Factor (EHF), a relatively new method. To determine the dominant modes, the authors used a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) on each of the five heatwave characteristics. They investigated the impact of large-scale climate drivers on the various modes of heatwave behavior. The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has been identified as a key climate driver associated with various heatwave characteristics over the southern African region. The findings of this study contribute to our understanding of heatwave variability over southern Africa and are applicable to heatwave forecasting.

Paper Link: Meque, A., Pinto, I., Maúre, G. and Beleza, A., 2022. Understanding the variability of heatwave characteristics in southern Africa. Weather and Climate Extremes, p.100498.

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