An Analysis of Heat and Water Balances in West Africa

Aspects of the heat and water balances of West Africa are considered. By use of empirical models, the required heat- and water-balance parameters were derived from readily available meteorological data. Spatial patterns of the mean annual values of the heat- and water-balance components are discussed, and necessary maps constructed. Important climatic indexes are derived. Areas north of 14 degrees N fall within the arid and semiarid zones, with increasing aridity toward the southern margins of the Sahara Desert.