Tropical Easterly Waves in the Tropical North Atlantic Basin

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Tropical easterly waves (TEWs) serve as precursors to most Atlantic tropical cyclones and strongly modulate the hydrological cycle over West Africa, the tropical Atlantic, and the Caribbean region. Despite significant advances, uncertainties remain regarding the processes governing TEW maintenance and intensification, the relationship with tropical cyclogenesis, and future projections of TEW activity under global warming. Progress on these fronts is constrained by persistent disparities in tracking methodologies, limited observational understanding of moisture-convection feedbacks across scales, and the inability of global climate models to resolve small-scale processes. This review synthesizes the current state of TEW research, from genesis and tracking methodologies to the multiscale impacts of TEWs on tropical cyclogenesis and regional precipitation, and accounts for the modulation of climate variability modes and future behavior under global warming. We also propose a coordinated research roadmap, including a community-driven intercomparison initiative analogous to those successfully implemented for other complex atmospheric phenomena to reconcile uncertainties in tracking methodologies. In addition, we stress the need for intensive field campaigns to validate high-resolution convection-permitting modeling and train artificial intelligence-driven algorithms. Taken together, these initiatives provide a pathway to resolve outstanding uncertainties and improve the reliability of future TEW projections under global warming.

Source: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1111/nyas.70415

Authors: Orlando L. Córdova‐García, Rogert Sorí, Ricardo M. Trigo, Raquel Nieto, Luis Gimeno, Milica Stojanovic, Albenis Pérez‐Alarcón

Institutions: Instituto de Meteorología, Universidade de Vigo, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, University of Lisbon, Instituto Dom Luiz, Centro de Supercomputación de Galicia

Language: English

Topic: Tropical and Extratropical Cyclones Research

Subfield: Atmospheric Science

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $5,080

Funders: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, European Commission, Universidade de Vigo, Xunta de Galicia, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, NextGenerationEU

OpenAlex ID: W7214280955