Temporal and spatial Sea Surface Temperature (SST) variability off the Southwest African coast

An understanding of Benguela Nino events is important for local economy, ecosystem and ocean dynamics. Aiming to see if Benguela Nino events can be seen in observations and reproduced by the models, an investigation of sea surface temperature (SST) temporal and spatial variability was done throughout the Southwest African coast.  Using SST obtained from satellite observations and from four different numerical models, a coastal strip of 1^o width from 8S to 28S was calculated and averaged longitudinally. Even though models were warmer than the observations, variability seen on observations were reproduced by the models. Highly anomalous warm and cold periods that coincides with years of Benguela Niño and Niña were found both on observations and in the models, as well as SST weakening after 2000.