AFRICA

CLIMATE
Africa is the most tropical of all continents. Africa is the only continent that straddles the equator
and therefore incorporates both the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn. The climate south of the
equator mirrors that of the north of the equator but the shape of the northern half of Africa
reduces any maritime influence. This shape difference results in a large desert, Sahara in the
north and a much smaller one, Kalahari, in the south. The shape difference again makes the
southern portion of Africa cooler than the northern section of the continent (thereby making East
Africa more favorable for European settlement than West Africa: Zambia and Niger are both
located on Latitude 15 degrees from the equator but Niger is warmer). Archaeological studies
and Satellite images show that the climate of Africa has not always remained the same.
Conditions that are more humid had once existed in the Sahara desert and other drier parts of the
continent.
Rainfall is the most significant climatic factor in Africa. Temperature is high through the
continent because of the continents location relative to Equator. Range of temperature is quite
small and Wind is much less of a feature than in temperate climates
Climatic Factors:
Pressure Systems, Winds and ITCZ (page 31).
Located on about Latitude 30o North and South of the Equator are Sub-tropical High Pressure
Belts that dictate surface wind patterns and also influence rainfall and temperature regimes on
the continent. The Subtropical High Pressure Systems on both sides of the Equator generate two
wind systems that converge on the equator in a zone termed Inter-Tropical Converge Zone
(ITCZ). From the north, Subtropical High Pressure Belt zone blows the Northeast Trade Winds
(locally called Harmattan). The Harmattan is dry and cool and blows over Sub-Saharan Africa
from about November to April. From the south Sub-tropical High Pressure belt zone blows the
Southwest Trade Winds (locally called Monsoon). The Monsoon winds are moist and bring
rainfall to the coasts of West Africa. The African continent does not extend much beyond 35o of
latitude from the equator. The implication is that the range of climatic conditions is limited and
that the general direction of wind movement is towards the equator (or in more accurate terms
towards the inter-tropical convergence zone -ITCZ). The ITCZ shifts with the seasonal
movement of the sun across the tropics:

In June: the northern Summer season, the ITCZ is located at about 13 degrees of latitude in
North Africa at the southern boundary of the Sahara;

In December: the Northern winter season, the ITCZ moves southward along the West
African Coast and to the northern and eastern margins of the Zaire basin and continues to
Madagascar

Movements in the ITCZ are closely related to distribution of rainfall and climatic zones. The
climatic zones assume symmetry around the equator, although the high altitudes in some parts of
the continent and the adjacent disturb the symmetry. Rainfall averages from 5000mm (200
inches) in the coastal strips of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, Cameroun and eastern Madagascar
to 500m (20 inches) in the Sahel and 200mm (8 inches) or less in the arid regions (Sahara and
Kalahari). Temperatures range from 12o C (54oF) to over 32oC (90oF). The highest recorded
57.7oC (136.4oF) in Azizia, Libya. Mean annual temperature is 3oC to 5.5oC (5.5-10oF) range for
a greater part of the continent with <3oC (5.5oF) in the forest belt around the equator. Diurnal
mean range of temperature: 10 to over 15oC (18-27o F+)

Maritime versus Continental Climates

Large water bodies such as the Ocean and huge lakes modify climates in adjacent
lands. In the continental interior, where there are no large bodies of water,
temperatures get VERY WARM in summer or during the day. Land is solid so it
heats up more rapidly during the day. The compact nature of the land means that
only a thin surface gets heated. As a result, heat absorbed into the thin layer of
surface rocks is released very rapidly. The land surface is therefore VERY
COOL at nights and in winter. The interior location does not also allow rainfall to
reach such places thereby creating Warm, humid, hot and dry climates. These
extremities in climate affect all states located in the interior of continents. Such
climates
are
calledContinental
Climates as
against Maritime
climates experienced on lands located along coasts. In places such as Timbuktu,
Mail, the diurnal and annual ranges in Temperature are very high because of
continentality.
Altitude

Since energy from the sun is transformed into heat on the surface of the earth, air
temperature decreases with altitude at an average rate of 3.5 o F per 1,000 feet
(6.4 o C per 1000 meters) called the LAPSE RATE. Because of this decrease of
temperature with height, mountainous regions such as the Ethiopian highlands
have very cool temperatures. Very high peaks such as Mountain Kilimanjaro
The combination effect of
located along the equator even have permanent snow cover.
the above factors create variations in temperature, rainfall and other climatic factors resulting in the
following climatic types.
1. Humid Equatorial Climates (Af)
2. Semi-arid cimates (Bsh)
3. Desert Climate (BWh)
4. Mountain climates (H)
5. Humid Temperate climates (C)
a. Cool summers
b. Dry summers and wet winters (Mediterranean)- Eastern South Africa and North
Africa
c. Cool summers- Cape province in South Africa