Most of Southern African Development Community (SADC) is likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall for the period January to May, according to a mid-season Update. The outlooks are split into rolling three-monthly periods namely: January to March, February to April and March to May 2013.
Northernmost parts of the contiguous SADC are expected to receive normal to below-normal total rainfall in January-March while in February-April it is only the north-easternmost parts of Tanzania that will experience normal to below normal rainfall. During the March-May period, the sub-region will receive mostly normal to above normal rainfall with the extreme north-western parts receiving normal to below normal rainfall.
The Update was issued by the 16th Southern Africa Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF-16), held in Lusaka, Zambia and hosted by the Zambia Meteorological Department and coordinated by the SADC Climate Services Centre. Support was provided by the Government of Zambia, African Development Bank and SADC.
WMO has been promoting and supporting Regional Climate Outlook Forums around the world, ever since the inception of the first forum in Southern Africa in 1997.
Regional Climate Outlook Forums presently serve more than half the world’s population and form an integral part of the Global Framework for Climate Services which aims to improve and expand the provision of climate science for decision-making and action.
