Analyses of AEWs and MCSs are presented based on meridional and zonal transects of high resolution dropsonde observations made during JET2000; an aircraft campaign conducted over the West African continent in the last week of August 2000. A number of dynamical and thermodynamic diagnostics are presented, and used to explore and develop theoretical ideas about AEWs and their interactions with MCSs. The analysis will promote a PV-framework for describing the evolution of the AEWs and embedded MCSs and will include some idealized modelling results to highlight these interactions.