WINDHOEK – Most parts of Namibia can look forward to normal to above normal rainfall for the period October to December 2013, according to the Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum in its latest outlook.
During the period December up to February 2014, most of Namibia is expected to receive above normal rainfall. The welcome prediction for Namibia was issued when weather experts from Southern Africa met last Thursday in Harare for the 17th Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF-17). The two-day annual conference convened to come up with a climate forecast for the forthcoming 2013/14 rainy season that begins in October. The good news is that most of the SADC region can expect normal to above normal rainfall starting in October. However, the forum added that the most furthest western coastal areas of Namibia, south western Angola, west coastal South Africa and the northernmost Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are more likely to receive normal to below normal rainfall.
During the November to December 2013 period, as well as January 2014 period, the bulk of the SADC region is expected to receive normal to above normal rainfall while the greater part of the DRC, the northernmost and southwestern Angola, as well as the western fringes of Namibia and South Africa are likely to receive normal to below normal rainfall. “The bulk of SADC and the island states of Madagascar and Mauritius are likely to receive normal to above normal rainfall during December 2013 to February 2014. However, south-western Angola, most of Namibia, western half of Botswana, most of central and western parts of South Africa and Lesotho are likely to receive above normal to normal rainfall while the eastern half of Tanzania is likely to receive normal to below-normal rainfall. For the period January to March 2014, the bulk of SADC is expected to receive normal to above-normal rainfall. However, the part stretching from the eastern coast of northern Mozambique through the central parts of the region extending to the south western-central parts of the region are likely to receive above-normal to normal rainfall,” the forum concluded.
The forum also discussed the potential impacts of the seasonal climate outlook on the socio-economic sectors, including health, disaster risk management, water resources and hydropower management.
By Staff Reporter
