February beats the norm on wetness

A WET February has set several parts of Namibia well on course to notching up higher than normal rainfall totals once the current rainy season ends after April.

Especially the northwest, central and southern areas of Namibia have experienced an unusually wet February, according to rainfall statistics released by the Meteorological Service of Namibia at the end of last week. According to these figures, Hosea Kutako International Airport east of Windhoek had its wettest February on record.At Khorixas in the northwest, the rainfall received during February is more than four times the average quantity of rain received during that month, while at Gibeon in the south, more than five times the normal quantity of rain was received during February.At Aranos and Stampriet more than three times the normal quantity of rain was measured, and Keetmanshoop received more than double its usual quantity of rain in February.By the end of February, the total rainfall that all these places had received since the beginning of the current rainy season in October was also substantially more than the quantity usually measured at these points from October to the end of February.At Katima Mulilo, which had a very wet January, rainfall totalling some 862 millimetres was measured from October to the end of February.Normally, Katima Mulilo receives some 548 mm of rain from October to the end of February, according to the Meteorological Service’s figures.The 862 mm of rain measured at Katima Mulilo to the end of February is already more than the average total of 653 mm normally received at that town from October to the end of April.A total of some 740 mm of rain was measured at Rundu in the Kavango Region from October to the end of February.Normally Rundu, with an average total rainfall of 565 mm from October to April, receives 441 mm of rain from October to the end of February.At Ondangwa, 177,5 mm of rain was measured during February.Normally, Ondangwa receives an average of 100,6 mm during February.From October to the end of February – a period in which Ondangwa on average receives a total of 322,8 mm of rain – a total of 414,5 mm was measured at this town this rainy season.About 212 mm of rain was registered at Khorixas during February – a month when this town on average receives 45,7 mm of rain.From October to the end of February, 289 mm of rain was measured at Khorixas.This is more than double the average total rainfall of 130 mm received at Khorixas in this period.Grootfontein is also ahead of the curve as far as its seasonal rainfall total to the end of February goes.On average, some 402 mm of rain is measured at Grootfontein from October to the end of February.This season, 515,6 mm of rain was registered at the town over that period.Over the more than 40 years since rainfall records started to be recorded at Hosea Kutako International Airport in 1966, an average of 91 mm of rain was measured there during February.This year, a record 326,6 mm was recorded at the airport.Although the current rainy season arrived late in the central areas of the country, Hosea Kutako International Airport was by the end of February already close to having received more than its average annual total rainfall of some 370 mm.To the end of February, its average total rainfall is close to 248 mm.This year, 355,6 mm had been measured there to the end of February already.At the Windhoek Met Office, where 158,4 mm was measured during February, compared to the normal average total of 91,4 mm, the seasonal total reached some 261 mm by the end of February.This is only slightly more than the total of 250 mm normally received at the Met Office by this stage of the rainy season.The rains also arrived late at Rehoboth, but have since then been catching up for time lost.During February, 194 mm of rain was measured at that town, compared to an average total of 64,2 mm during that month.From October to the end of February, 202 mm had been registered at Rehoboth.On average, a total of 154,7 mm of rain falls at the town in this period.Gibeon also experienced an exceptionally wet February, with a total of 246,4 mm of rain over a month when this town normally receives some 42,3 mm.According to the Meteorological Service’s figures, a total of 412 mm was received at Gibeon from October to the end of February – a period when the average total rainfall there is only some 96 mm.Keetmanshoop received some 198 mm of rain between October and the end of February (normal total for this period: 96,6 mm; normal rainy season total: 152 mm), with 102,4 mm measured there during February alone (normal February total: 44,3 mm).Aranos received a total of 176 mm over February.Normally, some 48 mm of rain is measured there during February.From October to the end of February, 280,5 mm was measured at Aranos.On average, 133,2 mm is normally received there in that period.According to these figures, Hosea Kutako International Airport east of Windhoek had its wettest February on record.At Khorixas in the northwest, the rainfall received during February is more than four times the average quantity of rain received during that month, while at Gibeon in the south, more than five times the normal quantity of rain was received during February.At Aranos and Stampriet more than three times the normal quantity of rain was measured, and Keetmanshoop received more than double its usual quantity of rain in February. By the end of February, the total rainfall that all these places had received since the beginning of the current rainy season in October was also substantially more than the quantity usually measured at these points from October to the end of February.At Katima Mulilo, which had a very wet January, rainfall totalling some 862 millimetres was measured from October to the end of February.Normally, Katima Mulilo receives some 548 mm of rain from October to the end of February, according to the Meteorological Service’s figures.The 862 mm of rain measured at Katima Mulilo to the end of February is already more than the average total of 653 mm normally received at that town from October to the end of April.A total of some 740 mm of rain was measured at Rundu in the Kavango Region from October to the end of February.Normally Rundu, with an average total rainfall of 565 mm from October to April, receives 441 mm of rain from October to the end of February.At Ondangwa, 177,5 mm of rain was measured during February.Normally, Ondangwa receives an average of 100,6 mm during February.From October to the end of February – a period in which Ondangwa on average receives a total of 322,8 mm of rain – a total of 414,5 mm was measured at this town this rainy season.About 212 mm of rain was registered at Khorixas during February – a month when this town on average receives 45,7 mm of rain.From October to the end of February, 289 mm of rain was measured at Khorixas.This is more than double the average total rainfall of 130 mm received at Khorixas in this period.Grootfontein is also ahead of the curve as far as its seasonal rainfall total to the end of February goes.On average, some 402 mm of rain is measured at Grootfontein from October to the end of February.This season, 515,6 mm of rain was registered at the town over that period.Over the more than 40 years since rainfall records started to be recorded at Hosea Kutako International Airport in 1966, an average of 91 mm of rain was measured there during February.This year, a record 326,6 mm was recorded at the airport.Although the current rainy season arrived late in the central areas of the country, Hosea Kutako International Airport was by the end of February already close to having received more than its average annual total rainfall of some 370 mm.To the end of February, its average total rainfall is close to 248 mm.This year, 355,6 mm had been measured there to the end of February already.At the Windhoek Met Office, where 158,4 mm was measured during February, compared to the normal average total of 91,4 mm, the seasonal total reached some 261 mm by the end of February.This is only slightly more than the total of 250 mm normally received at the Met Office by this stage of the rainy season.The rains also arrived late at Rehoboth, but have since then been catching up for time lost.During February, 194 mm of rain was measured at that town, compared to an average total of 64,2 mm during that month.From October to the end of February, 202 mm had been registered at Rehoboth.On average, a total of 154,7 mm of rain falls at the town in this period.Gibeon also experienced an exceptionally wet February, with a total of 246,4 mm of rain over a month when this town normally receives some 42,3 mm.According to the Meteorological Service’s figures, a total of 412 mm was received at Gibeon from October to the end of February – a period when the average total rainfall there is only some 96 mm.Keetmanshoop received some 198 mm of rain between October and the end of February (normal total for this period: 96,6 mm; normal rainy season total: 152 mm), with 102,4 mm measured there during February alone (normal February total: 44,3 mm).Aranos received a total of 176 mm over February.Normally, some 48 mm of rain is measured there during February.From October to the end of February, 280,5 mm was measured at Aranos.On average, 133,2 mm is normally received there in that period.