Prepare for hot, dry summer, warns SA Weather Service
The predicted climatic conditions echo government’s calls that users should save water
Higher than normal temperatures and below average rainfall are predicted for South Africa this summer, says the SA Weather Service.
At the start of the 2019/20 summer rainfall season, large parts of South Africa are in the grip of extreme drought, but in particular areas over Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, North West, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape.
Over South Africa, the onset of summer rainfall is late and the September and October rainfall totals have been below normal. The first significant rainfall of this summer season only occurred at the start of November.
The weather service says although the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is predicted to most likely remain in a neutral state through the summer in 2019/20, it is likely to be a warm, neutral rather than cool neutral state. Under such forcing, the atmospheric response may assume an El Niño type impact, consistent with the multi-model prediction systems being indicative of enhanced likelihoods of below-normal rainfall.
In light of the above, it is clear that southern African farmers, water managers and government entities need to prepare for impacts associated with the likelihood of below-normal rainfall and above-normal temperatures during the summer of 2019/20, the service warns.
Additionally, the predicted high temperatures, in addition to the recent heat waves,will lead to heat stress and have an impact on human and animal health. During this period, an increased energy demand for cooling and groundwater pumping will most likely be expected.
The predicted climatic conditions echo government’s calls that water users and communities should apply water saving and conservation strategies to sustain the limited water resources.
The South African Weather Service will continue to closely monitor and communicate climate conditions and their tendencies.
