Did you know almost every hurricane begins in Africa, but Africa itself doesn’t experience hurricanes? Here’s why:
Hurricanes, also called tropical cyclones, don’t usually form or hit land in West Africa.
However, the region plays a key role in creating the hurricanes that eventually affect other countries.
How most hurricanes begin in Africa
These powerful and long-lived tropical storms known as hurricanes are primarily from Africa.
Disturbances known as “tropical waves” are really the precursors of hurricanes in the Atlantic and America. These waves begin off the coast of West Africa in the Sahara desert.
About 83% of major hurricanes in North America originate from Cape Verde, a coastal country in West Africa.
Four of the nine 2020 hurricanes were traced back to Africa. These storms, like all Cape Verde hurricanes known as African Easterly Waves, began high in the atmosphere above western Africa.
As these tropical waves move westward across the Atlantic, they can turn into tropical storms or hurricanes if they encounter warm ocean waters and the right atmospheric conditions.
The tropical waves originating in West Africa are a major source of hurricanes affecting the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the southeastern United States.
Places in Africa that have experienced hurricanes
While hurricanes don’t typically happen in Africa, there’ve been a few countries that have experienced hurricanes.
1. Cape Verde
In Cape Verde, hurricanes occurs relatively frequently. They occur approximately four times a year on average.
The majority of hurricanes, however, merely reach the country’s atmosphere and then turn north before reaching land.
The country then experiences rainstorms and wind gusts from the leftovers on land.
2. Guinea
In Guinea, hurricanes relatively occur – approximately twice a year on average.
Hurricanes, however, frequently shift northward before reaching land in Guinea. On land, the leftovers subsequently produce rain and wind gusts.
What then happens in West Africa?
Although West Africa is affected by hurricanes, it is nevertheless impacted by tropical waves, which can bring with them intense rain, high winds, and flooding.
The rainy season, which runs from June to September, is when these disruptions occur most frequently.
These tropical disturbances do not intensify into hurricanes; they can generate heavy rains and floods in some parts of West Africa, especially in coastal areas.
