Progress in understanding of weather systems in West Africa

The major advances achieved during African monsoon multidisciplinary analysis in our physical understanding of the West African monsoon (WAM) system are reviewed. Recent research provides an advanced understanding of key WAM features. The Saharan heat low, the interactions of the monsoon flow with the surface and the reversed flow on top of it, all play a more important role than previously assumed, and interact according to the phase of the diurnal cycle of convection. Recent studies also emphasise the significance of upstream conditions in Central and East Africa, as well as strong interactions between midlatitudes and the WAM.