15 Jan 2014

Most parts of Botswana will experience a dry spell for 10 days from January 14, says principal metereologist, Mr John Stegling.

Speaking in an interview on January 14, Mr Stegling said the country could only expect isolated rainfall of less than 25 per cent of normal rains.

He explained that the dry spell was a short-term phenomenon caused by tropical cyclones in the Mozambique Channel and Indian Ocean, which deprived the country of moisture. He said temperatures would rise up to 35 degrees and beyond 36 degrees in Kgalagadi and the surrounding areas.

However, he said rains were expected towards the end of January and that more organised rain-bearing systems were expected to set in thereafter. Meanwhile, the Department of Metereological Services has reviewed the state of the global climate systems and analysed rainfall prospects for January to March.

The seasonal rainfall forecast for the upcoming rainy season is as follows:

The northern parts of Botswana, that is, Ngamiland, Chobe and northern parts of the Central District are expected to receive largely normal rains with a tendency of below normal rains of 260 to 360 millilitres.

The western parts of the country, that is, Kgalagadi, Ghanzi, western parts of Kweneng and western parts of the Southern District are expected to receive normal to above normal rains that is 160 to 240 millilitres of rain.

The eastern parts of Botswana, South East, Kgatleng, eastern parts of Kweneng, eastern parts of southern, northern, southern parts of the Central District are expected to receive normal to below normal rains that is 200-250 millilitres.

Ms Matida Mmipi, the corporate and communications manager for Water Utilities Corporation, said the southern part of the country continued to be hard hit by shortage of water. Gaborone Dam contained only 11.7 per cent of water that would last for two to three months without inflows.

Bokaa and Nywane dams were at 4.9 per cent and 16 per cent respectively. She said the two dams and the Molatedi Dam in South Africa were the only ones that recharged the Gaborone Dam. She noted that the rivers that supplied Gaborone Dam were also dry.

Ms Mmipi pleaded with the public to continue to adhere to water restriction measures. She said rationing would continue until the situation improved. ENDS