TITLE:
Intraseasonal Variability of 2020 Temperature over Tanzania during the October-November-December (OND) Season
AUTHORS:
Godfrey Thomas Assenga, Chabaga Chabaga, Daudi Ndabagenga, Daniel Gibson Mwageni
KEYWORDS:
Intraseasonal Variability, Mascarene high, Biweekly Oscillation, OND Season
JOURNAL NAME:
Atmospheric and Climate Sciences,
Vol.15 No.1,
January
8,
2025
ABSTRACT: Intraseasonal Oscillation (ISO) which is the eastward-propagating disturbance with a period of 10 - 60 days has been the topic of interest since its discovery by Madden-Julian in 1972. Many researchers have published their work on ISO, yet they all agree that there is no clear understanding of this matter. By using daily observed surface temperature (T2m), this study reveals the presence of significant biweekly ISO over Tanzania, a period shorter than the anticipated Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) period of 30 to 60 days. It also reveals significant changes in wind direction when comparing the cold phase to the warm phase, highlighting a distinct atmospheric circulation pattern associated with each phase. Furthermore, the analysis reveals the presence of MJO-like eastward movement of pressure systems in the Subtropical High region, which is associated with this variability. This study presents a new analysis by providing a detailed analysis of the intraseasonal variability (ISV) of temperature over Tanzania, focusing on understanding the 2020 spatial-temporal patterns within the October-November-December (OND) season that may play a role in weather forecasting, agricultural planning, climate adaptation, reducing heat-related illnesses and contributing to the international effort to refine climate models and predictability.