Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
HESS
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Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2018-223
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2018-223
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Preprints
02 May 2018
 | 02 May 2018
Status: this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors.

The climate of desiccation in the SW Cape

Mark R. Jury

Abstract. Hydro-meteorology conditions in the Southwest Cape of South Africa are analyzed for historical trends in satellite and station measurements. Results show an increase of coastal upwelling, low-level subsidence and shorter winters. The shearing by offshore easterly winds causes a circulation over the SW Cape which entrains dry air from the south coast upwelling zone. Potential evaporation exceeds precipitation and streamflow discharge has declined particularly northwest of the Hottentots Holland mountains. Many of Cape Town's water reservoirs are drying up, and show steep in-creases in surface temperature (+.2 C/yr) and browning of perimeter vegetation. The unfavorable wind shear is compounded by negative sensible heat flux and a capping inversion, so alongshore winds and mountain-top clouds divert seaward, desiccating the upper Berg River catchment.

This preprint has been withdrawn.

How to cite. Jury, M. R.: The climate of desiccation in the SW Cape, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2018-223, 2018.
Received: 24 Apr 2018 – Discussion started: 02 May 2018
Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Mark R. Jury

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AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
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Interactive discussion

Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
Mark R. Jury
Mark R. Jury

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Short summary
The climatic processes underlying drought in the SW Cape of South Africa are outlined. The area lies at the transition between the mid-latitude and sub-tropical regimes (34 S). There has been a gradual shift towards increased easterlies, longer dry summers and shorter wet winters. Consequently, water resources near Cape Town are drying up. High-resolution satellite reanalysis of land surface temperature and rainfall reveal the desiccating trends.
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