article · Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection
This research evaluates climate simulations across West Africa by examining nine dynamical downscaling models at a 25-kilometre resolution from the CORDEX-CORE experiment. The simulations, which couple three general circulation models with three regional climate models, were validated against historical reanalysis datasets spanning 1983 to 2005, specifically ERA5 for temperature and ERA5, CHIRPS, and FEWS-ARC for precipitation. The findings demonstrate that all nine models generally reproduce historical temperature and rainfall patterns across the region, while showing a particularly strong correlation with temperature data. Model performance varied geographically: REMO-NorESM1 and RegCM4-MPI-MR performed best along the Guinean coast, five specific combinations excelled in the Savannah, and RegCM4-HadGEM2 showed the strongest correlation in the Sahel.
Accurate climate and weather data are critical for understanding environmental conditions across West Africa. Identifying which regional climate models most reliably reproduce historical rainfall and temperatures allows researchers and planning bodies to select the best tools for studying distinct zones, such as the Sahel, Savannah, and Guinean coast, where climate conditions vary dramatically.
The abstract does not indicate a direct commercial application pathway. However, the findings provide validation evidence that could assist climate service providers, agricultural planners, or meteorological agencies in selecting appropriate regional models for downscaled climate projections. This represents early-stage scientific benchmarking rather than an applied commercial tool.
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We analysed nine simulations from dynamic downscaling to a horizontal resolution of approximately 25 km of three general circulation models (GCMs). These GCMs use three regional climate models (RCMs) that participated in the coordinated downscaling experiment (CORDEX-CORE). These simulations were compared to three datasets of reanalysis. The ERA5 for temperature at 2 metres and for precipitation, Climate Hazards Center InfraRed Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) and African Rainfall Climatology from the Famine Early Warning System (FEWS-ARC) were used. To give an overview of these nine model experiments, we presented and compared the results of the latter with the reanalysis taken into account for the period 1983 - 2005. The results indicated that the nine models correctly reproduced the temperature and rainfall in West Africa during the historical period. In the Guinean coast region, REMO-NorESM1 and RegCM4-MPI-MR models well simulated precipitation and temperature during the historical period. In the Savannah region, RegCM4-NorESM1, CCLM5-MPI-LR, REMO-NorESM1, CCLM5-NorESM1 and CCLM5-HadGEM2 model gave best result. In the Sahel region, the RegCM4-HadGEM2 model gave a good correlation. Using the Taylor diagram in the historical period, all CORDEX-CORE RCMs had a strong relationship with temperature.
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DOI: 10.4236/gep.2025.131021
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