Heatwave but ‘good rains' on the way, say forecasters

Northern Botswana is expected to be sweltering under a heatwave during the next few days. Temperatures in Maun, Nata, Gweta and other centres will reach 38 deg, forecasters have predicted. Meanwhile, there is good news about relief from the heat. Botswana is likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall during the coming raining season that runs from next month to March next year. This is forecast in a report by the Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum, which held a meeting in Zimbabwe on August 30. According to the forecast, Botswana will between October and December experience an increased chance of normal to above-normal rainfall with a similar forecast for November to December throughout the country. However, during the December to March period, the eastern half of Botswana will continue in the normal to above-normal category while the western part - that includes Ngamiland - is expected to experience above-normal to normal rainfall. Above-normal rainfall is defined as lying within the wettest third of recorded (30 year, that is, 1971 -2000 or 40 year 1961-2000 mean) rainfall amounts; below-normal is defined as within the driest third of rainfall amounts and normal is the middle third, centred on the climatological median. SADC climate scientists also took into account that the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is going to be inneutral phase with a bias towards a weak La Niña during most of the rainy season Read more in The Ngami Times http://www.ngamitimes.com/