Gambia and Senegal Experience Heavy Rainfall

From July 14 to 15, influenced by a low vortex on the southern side of the North African subtropical high and a southwest jet stream (Figure 1), countries along the West African coast, including Gambia, Senegal, and Guinea, experienced heavy precipitation. In some areas, cumulative rainfall reached 80 to 130 mm, with localized totals exceeding 200 mm.

Figure 1  500 hPa Geopotential Height (Contour) and 850 hPa Wind Field (Wind Barbs) at 12:00 UTC on July 14, 2025

It is anticipated that over the next three days, the dynamic uplift conditions in the troposphere along the West African coast will significantly weaken. Countries such as Gambia and Senegal will experience light rain or showers, with localized areas receiving moderate rain (Figure 3).

Figure 2  Forecast of 500 hPa Geopotential Height (contours), 850 hPa Wind Field (wind barbs), and Divergence Field (shaded) at 00:00 UTC on July 18, 2025

Figure 3  24-hour Precipitation from 00:00 UTC on July 17, 2025, to 00:00 UTC on July 18, 2025 (unit: mm)

Author: Tan Dan                                  Reviewer: Zhang Bo 

English reviewer:Wang Yi                                                                       Issue approver:Dai Kan