TREND AND ANOMALY OF TEMPERATURE SERIES IN WEST AFRICAN COASTAL URBAN AREAS: THE CASE OF ABIDJAN, CÔTE D'IVOIRE (1985-2024)

Climate change is accompanied by a growing intensification of temperatures at the local scale, as observed in several cities of the sub-region, yet their evolution and trends remain insufficiently quantified. This study aims to examine the trends and anomalies of temperatures in the city of Abidjan over the period 1985-2024. Daily maximum (TX), minimum (TN), and mean (TM) temperature data, provided by SODEXAM, were analyzed using the Mann-Kendall trend test combined with Sen's slope, as well as an anomaly index calculated relative to the 1985-2024 climatological normal. The results reveal a significant upward trend for both TN and TM over the entire period, with a marked intensification of nocturnal warming (R² = 0.4096). Anomaly analysis shows that 2001, 2002, and 2003 were the coolest years recorded (down to -3.30 °C), while 2008 and 2010 were the warmest (+1.3 °C) over the entire study period. At the monthly scale, February to April consistently concentrate the highest temperatures throughout the study period. Overall, the results reveal an upward thermal trend over the past two decades (since 2005), associated with an increase in minimum and mean temperatures in Abidjan. These results provide a climatological baseline for future research on the specific role of nocturnal warming in aggravating health risk in West African coastal urban settings.