The West African climate system: a review of the AMMA model inter-comparison initiatives

We review the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA) model intercomparison
activities for West Africa. The Model Inter-comparison Project is an evaluation
exercise of how global and regional atmospheric models represent seasonal and intraseasonal
variations of the climate and rainfall over the Sahel. The Land surface Model
Inter-comparison Project in turn focuses on modelling critical land surface processes over
West Africa and on their link with the atmosphere. The CHEmistry Model Inter-comparison
Project (CHEMIP) is a comparison of the tropospheric composition as simulated by a number
of Chemical Transport Models and Chemistry-Climate Models. We highlight the main
model limitations and provide recommendations for future development.