Heat Waves Trends and Patterns in West Africa: Definitions and Drivers

Heat waves increasingly capture global attention due to their severe impacts on humans, health, ecosystems, and economies. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in studying heat waves due to their potential intensification under global climate change. While various regions worldwide have received substantial attention for their heat waves, research in Africa has been relatively limited , despite its vulnerability to such extreme occurrences. West Africa particularly remains in the shadows of discourse surrounding heatwaves. In this study we inventory heat wave events across West Africa over a 40 year period using a number of widely used heat wave definitions. We consider the expression of these different definitions in West Africa, and we further examine the prevailing meteorological dynamics associated with each. The results of this study will offer valuable insights into the frequency, intensity, duration, and spatial distribution of heat wave events. These findings can inform policymakers, urban planners, and public health authorities in developing targeted strategies to mitigate the impacts of heat waves and enhance the region's adaptive capacity.