LONG-TERM VARIATIONS OF WESTERN SAHELIAN MONSOON RAINFALL AND INTENSEUNITED-STATES LANDFALLING HURRICANES

Western Sahelian rainfall during the primary rainy season of June thro ugh September is shown to be significantly associated with concurrent intense U.S. landfalling hurricanes during the last 92 years. The most intense hurricanes (i.e., Saffir-Simpson Scale Category 3, 4, or 5) h ave an especially strong relationship with Sahelian rainfall, whereas weaker hurricanes show little or no association. The hurricane-Sahelia n rainfall association is most evident along the U.S. East Coast but i s negligible in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.