Global Climate Agency Predicts Higher Rainfall For Southern Africa

The Global Agricultural Geo-monitoring Initiative (GEOGLAM) global outlook report says there are greater chances of above average rainfall in Southern Africa in the coming 2020-2021 rainy season.

In its latest report, the global climate agency has predicted greater chances of a La Nina, a weather event normally associated with wetter conditions. The report read in part:

… there is an elevated chance of La Niña or La Niña-like climate arising by October. Such conditions are associated with the combined influence of abnormally cool equatorial East Pacific sea surface waters and abnormally warm sea surface waters in the western Pacific.

La Niña or La Niña-like conditions during October-December typically reduce rainfall in East Africa, Central Southwest Asia, southern Brazil and central Argentina and increase rainfall in Southern Africa, Australia, and eastern Brazil.

El Niño and La Niña are opposite phases of what is known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. La Niña is sometimes referred to as the cold phase of ENSO and El Niño as the warm phase of ENSO.

Meanwhile, the SADC regional rainfall forecast for 2020-2021 is expected to be issued this week while a national forecast for Zimbabwe is expected to be made in the coming few days.

More: The Herald