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GOOD NEWS: Normal to above-normal rainfall is expected over most of Namibia as of October. Photo: REEN IN NAMIBIA
GOOD NEWS: Normal to above-normal rainfall is expected over most of Namibia as of October. Photo: REEN IN NAMIBIA

Positive rainfall outlook for Namibia for October to December

Ellanie Smit
The bulk of the SADC region, including large portions of Namibia, is likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall for the October to December rainfall period.

This is according to a statement issued by the 29th Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCO-29), which took place from 26 to 28 August.

The forum stated that from January to March next year, most of the region and most of Namibia are expected to experience normal to above-normal rainfall. However, the south-western fringes of South Africa, the south-eastern and western parts of the DRC, north-western Angola, Tanzania, northern Zambia, northern Malawi, northern Mozambique, and the central-western tip of Madagascar are expected to receive normal to below-normal rainfall. This also includes the Comoros and Seychelles.

The forum noted that the temperature outlook for the entire 2024/25 rainfall season is expected to be mostly above long-term averages across the SADC region.



Dam levels

According to the latest dam bulletin issued by NamWater, the total average level of Namibia’s dams stands at 52.6%, with the level for the Central Area of Namibia’s dams at only 17.7%.

In the east of the country, the total average dam level is at 1.9%, while in the south it is at 59.6%, with the Hardap Dam nearing empty at 8.9%.

SARCOF-29 was held virtually from 26 to 28 August to present a consensus outlook for the 2024/2025 rainfall season over the SADC region.



Experts collaborate

Climate experts from the SADC National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and the SADC Climate Services Centre (CSC) collaborated to formulate the outlook. Inputs were also obtained from the African Centre for Meteorological Application for Development and various global producing centres, including the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Beijing Climate Centre, Météo-France, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), the UK Met Office, the Japan Meteorological Agency, and the Korea Meteorological Agency. Additionally, inputs from the International Research Institute for Climate and Society and the National Centre for Atmospheric Research were used to compile the outlook.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-23

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