New data reveals how storms are triggered in the Sahel

In the Sahel, the frequency of storms increases when soil moisture varies over a few kilometers. Such contrasts cause air circulation between dry and humid areas, contributing to the development of storms. For the first time, these contrasts have been studied on a small scale by a collaboration between French researchers from the Groupe d'Etude de l'Atmosphere Meteorologique (CNRS) and UK researchers from CEH, as part of the AMMA project. Their findings, published in the July 2011 issue of Nature Geoscience, provide new data that should help to address the issue of drought in the Sahel.

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