Rainfall in the Lowveld is not over yet, says SAWS
A wetter rainfall season than normal lies ahead for the Lowveld, as rain is set to continue falling for at least another week.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued another warning on February 13, confirming that a tropical wave will continue to enhance widespread showers and thundershowers over the Lowveld and escarpment areas of Mpumalanga.
The service issued orange level 9 and 5 warnings for significant to severe impact.
On the same day, SAWS issued a media release stating that a slow-moving upper-air cut-off low-pressure system is lingering over the interior of the country, causing widespread and often heavy rain over the eastern and northeastern provinces.
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The current flooding in the Lowveld may be exacerbated by further rainfall, warned SAWS.
A rain forecaster affiliated with the service, Wayne Venter, said there is a lot of tropical moisture in the air, and that Lowvelders may expect rainfall to continue until at least next week. “Over the course of the past week, between 200 and 400mm of rain was recorded in the Lowveld,” Venter said.
A two-week rainfall outlook by the weather company, SAWX, indicates there will be a decrease in rain as we near the end of the month, but measurements of up to approximately 70mm can still be expected.
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The Lowveld’s rainfall season stretches from September to May, and according to Venter, we can expect above average rainfall for the remainder of the season, as we are still amid the weather phenomenon La Niña. During La Niña, sea surface temperatures lower, which influences atmospheric circulation and consequently rainfall and temperature in specific areas, the weather service said.
SAWS urges the public to regularly follow weather forecasts on television and radio. Updated information pertaining to the weather outlook is also available on both the SAWS and SAWX websites.
