By William Madouk
After soaring temperatures to over 35°C were recorded in the last few weeks, most parts of South Sudan expect drier than usual conditions for a week-long, IGAD weather forecast center, predicts.
The IGAD Climate prediction and Application Center (ICPAC) stated that the country will likely experience drier weather from May 23 – 30, including some parts of nations in the region.
“Drier than usual conditions are expected over most parts of Uganda, South Sudan, western Kenya, and few regions over southern Ethiopia and southern Somalia,” indicates the weekly weather forecast.
Whereas dry conditions are anticipated over central to northern Sudan, eastern and northern Kenya, Burundi, eastern Rwanda, and central to western Tanzania.
However, wetter than usual conditions will be expected over southern parts of Sudan, north-western parts of South Sudan, central to northern and eastern Ethiopia, northern Somalia, and Eritrea.
Weather experts also said extremely heavy (top 1%) rainfall predicted over parts of northern Somalia. The high rainfall amounts are likely to lead to flooding throughout the region.
But meteorologists anticipated that warmer than average temperatures forecast over western regions of the Greater Horn of Africa.
“Moderate rainfall (50-200mm) expected over northern Somalia, central to western and eastern Ethiopia, south-western Sudan, and north-western South Sudan,” the statement noted.
“Light rainfall (less than 50 mm) is expected over southern Sudan, eastern South Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Uganda, northern and southern Ethiopia, southern Somalia, coastal and western Kenya, and coastal and southern Tanzania,” it added.
Climate experts also predicted that hotter than average temperatures will be expected in the country.
“Hot temperatures (above 32 ℃) expected over Sudan, parts of central Eritrea and Afar region in north-eastern Ethiopia,” the IGAD climate center noted.
“Moderate to high temperatures (20 – 32℃) expected over parts of eastern and western Sudan, South Sudan, much of Uganda, most parts of Tanzania, eastern and northern Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, and eastern and north-western parts of Ethiopia,” it continued.
While mild conditions (less than 20℃) are expected over central to northern Ethiopia, central to western Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, and a few regions in southern and northern Tanzania.
CPAC – is a Climate Center accredited by the World Meteorological Organization that provides Climate Services to 11 East African Countries.