A newly-documented low-level coastal jet along the Benguela Coast of Southern Africa

An analysis of NCEP data over the southeastern Atlantic shows a jet-like wind maximum some 300 km off the coast of Namibia and extending from 20S to 25S. Its core lies at 1000 to 925 mb. Within this core, annual mean wind speeds exceed 8 m/s. Thus its intensity is greater than that of the Peruvian Jet, with mean core speeds on the order of 6 m/s. The winds are almost uniformly southeasterly, so that the jet parallels the Namib coast. Strong seasonal variations are apparent in both the intensity and location of this feature, henceforth termed the Benguela Jet. The jet is strongest in October, when its mean speed exceeds 10 m/s in the core. In this month, it extends from 17S to 32S and maximum winds are roughly 650 km off-shore. The jet is weakest in May and June, when the core speed is roughly 8.5 m/s. The presence of the jet has strong implications both from African rainfall variability and Atlantic variability.