Impacts of Warm and Cold situations in the Mediterranean Basins on the West African monsoon: observed connection patterns (1979-2006) and climate simulations

International audience; Using both empirical and numerical ensemble approaches this study focuses on the Mediterranean / West African relationship in northern summer. Statistical analyses utilize skin temperature, sea surface temperature, in situ and satellite rainfall, Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) observations and reanalyzed data winds and specific humidity on isobaric surfaces. Numerical investigations are based on a large set of sensitivity experiments performed on four Atmospheric General Circulation Models (AGCM): ARPEGE-Climat3, ECHAM4, LMDZ4 and UCLA7.3. Model outputs are compared to observations, discussed model by model and with an ensemble (multi-model) approach. As in previous studies the anomalous Mediterranean warm events are associated with specific impacts over the African monsoon region, i.e., a more intense monsoon, enhanced flux convergence and ascendances around the ITCZ, a strengthening of low level moisture advection and a more northward location of ascending motion in West Africa. The results show also new features (i) thermal variability observed in the two Mediterranean basins has unalike impacts, i.e. the western Mediterranean covaries with convection in Gulf of Guinea, while the eastern Mediterranean can be interpreted as Sahelian thermal-forcing; (ii) although observations show symmetry between warming and cooling, modelling evidences only support the eastern warming influence; (iii) anomalous East warm situations are associated with a more northward migration of the monsoon system accompanied by enhanced southwesterly flow and weakened northeasterly climatological wind; (iv) the multi-model response shows that anomalous East warm surface temperatures generate an enhancement of the overturning circulation in low and high levels, an increase in TEJ (Tropical Easterly Jet) and a decrease in AEJ (African Easterly Jet).