The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (MET) has projected dry spells in the 2025/2026 season with reliable rains set to start in December in most parts of the country.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, MET director Lucy Mtilatila warned of false onsets in November whereby rains are followed by prolonged dry spells.
She said: “For us to define the onset of the season, we look at three consecutive days of 25 millimeters of rainfall without dry spells of more than 10 days in the next 21 days. So, we are seeing that the rains coming in December will not be followed by prolonged dry spells.”
| Suzgo Chitete
Mtilatila further said dry spells are projected to be experienced within the season in January and February and these could be associated with strong winds while some districts are likely to experience heavy rains.
In its 2025/2026 Seasonal Rainfall Forecast issued on September 12, the MET said Malawi is expected to receive normal to above-normal rainfall during October to December 2025 and January to March 2026.
The outlook aligns with a Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (Sarcof) forecast on September 11 that the bulk of the Sothern African Development Community region is likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall for most of the period of October to December.
Meanwhile, agriculture development division officials in Kasungu, Blantyre and Shire Valley have advised farmers to plant early maturing maize varieties and drought resistant crops such as potatoes, cassava, peas and sorghum.
Agriculture expert Tamani Nkhono Mvula stressed the need for crop diversification in light of uncertainties in maize production.
In the 2024/25 rainfall season the country also experienced false onset of rains in November and dry spells in December forcing farmers who planted early to replant their crops. In many parts of the country, reliable rains came towards the end of December.
