Analysis of Sea surface temperature pattern, variability and rainfall
dynamics over the Gulf of Guinea

ABSTRACT

Spatial pattern and variability of sea surface temperature SST and its influence on precipitation dynamics in the Gulf of Guinea (GOG) was examined in this study. SST data of 51 years (1970-2021) at 2^o×2^o resolution was obtained from the Columbia Climate School International Research Institute (IRI) at specific locations namely:

The result of the spatial variability of SST over the GOG reveals that increased SST was recorded in the Northern end of the GOG 12^O and 10^oN and lowest westward and southward. In terms of interannual variation, SST was highest in 2019 and lowest in 1976 increasing at the rate of 0.0206⁰C with R² value of 0.3997 implying that 39.97% of the variation while the monthly SST analysis of variability revealed that SST decreased from the January to December at the rate of 0.02268^oC. To assess the impact of SST influence on precipitation dynamics, SST values were plotted against the wettest and driest years base on SPI analysis with positive SST anomalies corresponding to the wettest years and low SST connecting positively to the driest years respectively. This implies that increase in the GOG interacts with other atmospheric processes to produce precipitation intensity and drought episodes in West Africa. The study concludes that the spatial variability of SST observed in this study corresponds positively with seasonal variability of rainfall which forms the basis for further modelling investigation.