Good prospects of rains from November to March

Precious Manomano-Herald Reporter

THE Meteorological Services Department has confirmed the findings of regional weather experts that Zimbabwe is likely to have better rainfall from the second sub-season of November to January until the end of the season in March after a late start to the rains in some areas.

The Met Department has followed the regional lead in moving away from a forecast based on the two halves of the season, to a forecast demarcated into four sub-seasons, a rolling forecast of overlapping three-month periods, October to December, November to January, December to February and January to March.

The national forecast was issued after the consensus regional rainfall outlook shared during the 29th Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook (SARCOF-29) held in Harare from August 26 to 28.

“There is an improvement in the rainfall performance expected for the sub-seasons: November to January, December to February and January to March with normal to above normal rainfall anticipated across the country,” said the MSD.

The department confirmed that the normal to below-normal rainfall expected for the first sub-season of October to December would likely result in a late start to the season in places.

The tropical cyclone forecast would be availed as the rainfall season progressed.

The MSD said the cloud seeding programme would be implemented during the season to enable rainfall enhancement, if required.

It urged farmers to maximise irrigation during the first half of the season to December and periods of prolonged dry spells during the season.

Contingency plans for extreme events such as violent storms, prolonged dry spells, and flash floods would be in place and water harvesting and conservation programmes would be maintained.

Agricultural activities such as planting and fertiliser application should be guided by the 10-day weather forecasts that will account for short-term variabilities such as dry and wet spells.