By Gerald Tenywa
Most parts of Uganda should expect favourable rain for the week starting November 8 and ending November 15, 2023, according to the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC).
“Wetter than usual conditions are expected over most parts of South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, and parts of southern Sudan, southern Ethiopia, northern Tanzania, and central to southern Somalia,” stated ICPAC.
ICPAC which networks with national meteorological bodies, including the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA).
The Nairobi-based ICPAC also pointed out that southern and western Uganda and Uganda’s neighbours in the Greater Horn of Africa are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coming week.
“Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in most parts of Rwanda, Burundi, northern Tanzania, Kenya, southern Somalia, southern Ethiopia, south-eastern South Sudan, and central and southern Uganda,” ICPC said.
The forecast also pointed out that some parts of Uganda should expect moderate rainfall.
“Moderate rainfall (50–200 mm) is expected over southern Somalia, most parts of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, northern and western Tanzania, and western and southern South Sudan.”
Temperature
Regarding temperature, UNMA says temperatures are likely to remain high. “Moderate to high temperatures (20–32 °C) are expected over most parts of Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, parts of eastern and northern Kenya, and south-eastern and north-eastern Ethiopia,” stated ICPAC.
The ICPAC forecast is consistent with UNMA.
The Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA), which works closely with ICPAC, has also indicated most parts of Uganda should expect favourable rainfall.
The UNMA forecast warned that low-lying areas in Kampala and neighbouring areas are likely to experience flooding.
At the same time, mountainous areas such as Mt. Elgon are likely to experience landslides, according to the UNMA weather forecast.
The rainy season has also come with a lot of benefits, including increased production and productivity in the agriculture sector.
Advisories
While rain is favourable to agriculture, the potential hazards expected to occur are flash floods, waterlogging, and contamination of water sources due to increased surface runoff into such sources. Also, disruption of traffic flow is expected as some bridges may be washed away or collapsed, according to UNMA.
The rain is expected to be accompanied by good pasture growth and availability in the cattle corridor for livestock.
In their advisory, UNMA says that the unnecessary use of pesticides and herbicides should be discouraged because surface runoff will carry such chemicals into water sources used by communities and in fish ponds, affecting their productivity.
Also, communities in the entire cattle corridor, both northern and eastern, are advised to put in place water storage facilities for harvesting rainwater.
