Malawi to experience widespread rains this weekend
The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services has predicted widespread rains across the country by the weekend.
According to readings the department’s director Jolamu Nkhokwe made available to The Nation, the highest amount of rainfall (44 millimeters) was recorded on Tuesday in Southern Malawi at Chichiri in Blantyre, the commercial city of Malawi, while the lowest amount (0.1 mm) was recorded at Makoka in Zomba, 70 kilometres from Blantyre.
“The rains indicate that the onset of the 2016/2017 main rainfall is on now, starting from the South. And because the system is still moving towards the Centre, by Saturday and Sunday we should have a wide coverage across the country,” said Nkhokwe in a telephone interview.
In the South, apart from Chichiri and Makoka, other areas such as Mimosa and Lujeri in Mulanje (66 km from Blantyre), Nsanje(178 km from Blantyre) and Bvumbwe in Thyolo(44 km from Blantyre), and in the Central region, Dwangwa in Nkhotakota bordering the lake district of Salima (92 km from the capital, Lilongwe), also received rains on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the rains spread to Chichiri, Monkey Bay (227 km from Lilongwe), Chileka Airport in Blantyre, Njolomole in Ntcheu (256 km from Lilongwe) and Makoka. Bvumbwe and Mimosa also received rains on Wednesday, according to Nkhokwe.
“However, these are not the only areas that received rains in the past two days as other stations have not sent their recordings yet. For instance, we are aware that Ndirande also had a lot of rains yesterday [Wednesday],” he said.
When asked whether farmers in the areas the rains have fallen can now plant, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Principal Secretary (PS) Erica Maganga asked for a questionnaire which she was yet to respond to as we went to press.
However, the ministry informed farmers that the rainfall forecast for the 2016/17 season is favourable for agricultural production as most areas of the country are expected to receive normal to above normal rainfall amounts by the end of the season.
“Despite this favourable rainfall forecast, localised floods and dry spells are likely to occur in some parts of the country,” reads part of a statement released from the ministry last week. n
