Violent rains expected

Zinyemba, said the heavy rains being expected over the country are due to a band of unsettled weather moving in from Botswana.
“For the period 30 March to 4 April 2012 inclusive, the forecast is for an increase in occurrences of heavy rain throughout the country reaching a peak between 31 March and 2 April 2012,” he said.
It is likely that amounts exceeding 50 millimetres in 24 hours will be realised during the period. Mr Zinyemba said current satellite images are already showing that parts of Matabeleland North and South are being affected by this unsettled weather.
“Accordingly, there will be heightened risk of violent thunderstorms (strong winds and hail),” he said.
The department predicted a normal rainfall during the 2011/12 summer cropping season. The first half of the season, which covers October, November and December, was predicted to have normal rains with a bias towards below normal.
Regions 1 and 2 were expecting normal rains with a bias towards below normal rainfall. Region 1 comprises Mashonaland provinces, Harare, North Eastern parts of Manicaland Province and Matabeleland North Province.
“Region 2 and 3 comprised of Matabeleland South, Masvingo the bulk of the Midlands and extreme southern parts of Matabeleland South provinces were expected to receive below normal to normal rainfall during the first half of the rainfall season,” he said.