Airport Climatology/Northwestern Africa

Article Information
Category:	Weather
Content source:	SKYbrary
Content control:	EUROCONTROL

WX
Tag(s)	Climatic Phenomena

back to Airport Climatology

The Climate of Northwestern Africa

The climate of Africa ranges from tropical to subarctic on its highest peaks. Its northern half is primarily desert (Köppen climate classification BWh) or arid (Köppen climate classification BSh), while its central and southern areas contain both savanna plains (Köppen climate classification Aw) and very dense jungle (rainforest) (Köppen climate classification Af) regions. In between, there is a convergence where vegetation patterns such as sahel, and steppe dominate. The north African coast (Morocco and Algeria) and Cape Province in South Africa enjoy Mediterranean climates (Köppen climate classification Csa & Csb). The movement of the Intertropical convergence zone, creates a rainy season across central portions of the continent to the south of the Sahara. Southern Africa receives most of its rain from convective clouds in the summer and frontal systems from the west in the winter.

Airports

The following map shows the Köppen climate classification (KCC) for aerodromes across Northwestern Africa which are listed on SKYbrary:

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title=\"DAAG\"\u003EAlgiers/Houari Boumediene Airport\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: Csa","title":"DAAG","link":"","lat":36.691014,"lon":3.215408,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Csa.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DAAT\" title=\"DAAT\"\u003ETamanrasset\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: BWh","title":"DAAT","link":"","lat":22.811111,"lon":5.450833,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/BWh.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DAUG\" title=\"DAUG\"\u003ENoumerat/Gharda\u0026iuml;a\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: BWh","title":"DAUG","link":"","lat":32.3816667,"lon":3.7994444,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/BWh.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DBBB\" title=\"DBBB\"\u003ECotonou Cadedjehoun Airport\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: Aw","title":"DBBB","link":"","lat":6.35857,"lon":2.3845482,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Aw.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DGAA\" title=\"DGAA\"\u003EAccra/Kotoka\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: Aw","title":"DGAA","link":"","lat":5.604816,"lon":-0.16734,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Aw.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DIAP\" title=\"DIAP\"\u003EAbidjan/Port Bouet Airport\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: Am","title":"DIAP","link":"","lat":5.2613861,"lon":-3.9262944,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Am.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DNAA\" title=\"DNAA\"\u003EAbuja International Airport\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: Aw","title":"DNAA","link":"","lat":9.006667,"lon":7.263333,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Aw.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DNEN\" title=\"DNEN\"\u003EEnugu/Akanu Ibiam International Airport\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: Aw","title":"DNEN","link":"","lat":6.4754555634196,"lon":7.5619125383673,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Aw.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DNMM\" title=\"DNMM\"\u003ELagos/Murtala Muhammed International Airport\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: Aw","title":"DNMM","link":"","lat":6.5778999781528,"lon":3.3215618133545,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Aw.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DNPO\" title=\"DNPO\"\u003EPort Harcourt International Airport\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: Am","title":"DNPO","link":"","lat":5.0136438,"lon":6.9508052,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Am.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DRRT\" title=\"DRRT\"\u003ETahoua\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: BSh","title":"DRRT","link":"","lat":13.502536087244,"lon":7.1273517626105,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Bsh.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DTNH\" title=\"DTNH\"\u003EEnfidha Hammamet International Airport\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: BSh","title":"DTNH","link":"","lat":36.0833001,"lon":10.438564,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Bsh.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DTTA\" title=\"DTTA\"\u003ETunis-Carthage\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: BSh","title":"DTTA","link":"","lat":36.8511111,"lon":10.2272222,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Bsh.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/DTTJ\" title=\"DTTJ\"\u003EDjerba-Zarzis\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Chr /\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/index.php/Property:KCC\" title=\"Property:KCC\"\u003EKCC\u003C/a\u003E: BSh","title":"DTTJ","link":"","lat":33.875,"lon":10.7752778,"alt":0,"address":"","icon":"/images/Bsh.png","group":"","inlineLabel":"","visitedicon":""}]}

Af: equatorial climate    Am: monsoon climate    Aw: tropical savannah climate

BWh: warm desert climate    Bwk: cold desert climate    Bsh: warm semi-arid climate    Bsk: cold semi-arid climate

Csa: warm Mediterranean climate    Csb: temperate Mediterranean climate

Cwa: humid subtropical climate    Cwb: temperate China climate    Cwc: cool China climate

Cfa: warm oceanic climate/ humid subtropical climate    Cfb: temperate oceanic climate    Cfc: cool oceanic climate

Dsa: warm continental climate/ Mediterranean continental climate    Dsb: temperate continental climate/ Mediterranean continental climate    Dsc: cool continental climate    Dsd: cold continental climate

Dwa: warm continental climate/ humid continental climate    Dwb: temperate continental climate/ humid continental climate    Dwc: cool continental climate/ subarctic climate    Dwd: cold continental climate/ subarctic climate

Dfa: warm continental climate/ humid continental climate    Dfb: temperate continental climate/ humid continental climate    Dfc: cool continental climate/ subarctic climate    Dfd: cold continental climate/ subarctic climate

ET: tundra climate    EF: ice cap climate

Climatic and Weather Phenomena Affecting Aviation in Northwestern Africa

• Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone. - A feature of the ITCZ is dense lines of Cumulonimbus clouds which can necessitate an aircraft diverging significant distance off track in order to avoid.
• Cyclones. - The east coast of Africa, particularly Madagascar, is affected by Tropical Revolving Storms originating in the Indian Ocean.
• Sandstorms. - Sandstorms are common in arid and semi-arid areas, particularly the Sahara.