Heavy rains arrive across the country

MOST of Namibia can expect to receive rain this week, following another weekend of widespread and sometimes heavy rains over the country since Friday.

Heavy downpours measuring between 76 and 103 millimetres were reported from places far apart across Namibia – Khorixas in the northwest, Grootfontein in the north, and from a farm between Hoachanas and Leonardville in the south – over the weekend and up to yesterday morning, and more rains can be expected over most of the country this week, according to the Meteorological Service of Namibia. Weather forecaster Odillo Kgobetsi of the Meteorological Service’s office at Hosea Kutako International Airport east of Windhoek said yesterday that wet weather was expected to continue over most of Namibia this week.Only the southwestern part of the country is expected to remain dry today, while from tomorrow to the end of the week, rain is expected over the entire Namibian interior, Kgobetsi said.Heavy rainfall can be expected over the northeast, east and far southeast from tomorrow to the end of the week, and it is possible that flooding could occur in those areas, Kgobetsi said.Grootfontein, Khorixas and other parts of the country already had a taste of heavy downpours over the weekend, according to rainfall figures released by the Weather Bureau yesterday and on Sunday.At Grootfontein, rain gauges already stood at the 60-mm mark by Sunday evening, according to Kgobetsi.After more rain fell on Sunday night, a total of 103,5 mm of rainfall for the previous day was recorded at Grootfontein yesterday morning.Some 7 mm was recorded at Grootfontein on Friday.On Saturday morning, 20 mm was measured at the town.At farm Olifantwater West, which is northeast of Hoachanas in the Hardap Region, 98 mm of rain was recorded yesterday morning, the Weather Bureau has been informed.According to further figures released by the Meteorological Service, 76,6 millimetres of rain were measured at Khorixas on Saturday morning.This followed on 6,4 mm of rain that was measured at the town on Friday morning.At Nkurenkuru in the Kavango Region, 65 mm of rain was recorded on Saturday morning, while at Okongo in the Ohangwena Region, 59,7 mm was measured at the same time.Just over 10 mm of rain had been recorded at Okongo on Friday morning, and a further 6,7 mm was measured there on Sunday morning.Measurements of 65 mm and 40 mm on Sunday at farms in the Vaalgras area between Windhoek and Rehoboth were also reported to the Weather Bureau.At Ondangwa, 4 mm was measured on Friday, followed by 31,9 mm on Saturday and 4,7 mm yesterday.By yesterday, a total of 42 mm of rain had been measured at Ondangwa since Friday.At Katima Mulilo, a total of 23,8 mm of rain was recorded between Friday and yesterday, while 30 mm had been recorded at Rundu over the same period.At the Windhoek Met Office, 3,4 mm was recorded on Saturday, with an additional 10,2 mm recorded on Sunday morning and 9,4 mm measured yesterday, to bring that rainfall station’s total from Friday to yesterday to 23,2 mm.Some 11 mm of rain was recorded at Mariental between Friday and yesterday, while at Keetmanshoop, 2,2 mm was recorded on Saturday morning and 6,4 mm on Sunday.At Karasburg, 17,3 mm was measured on Sunday, and another 0,3 mm yesterday.Weather forecaster Odillo Kgobetsi of the Meteorological Service’s office at Hosea Kutako International Airport east of Windhoek said yesterday that wet weather was expected to continue over most of Namibia this week.Only the southwestern part of the country is expected to remain dry today, while from tomorrow to the end of the week, rain is expected over the entire Namibian interior, Kgobetsi said. Heavy rainfall can be expected over the northeast, east and far southeast from tomorrow to the end of the week, and it is possible that flooding could occur in those areas, Kgobetsi said.Grootfontein, Khorixas and other parts of the country already had a taste of heavy downpours over the weekend, according to rainfall figures released by the Weather Bureau yesterday and on Sunday.At Grootfontein, rain gauges already stood at the 60-mm mark by Sunday evening, according to Kgobetsi.After more rain fell on Sunday night, a total of 103,5 mm of rainfall for the previous day was recorded at Grootfontein yesterday morning.Some 7 mm was recorded at Grootfontein on Friday.On Saturday morning, 20 mm was measured at the town.At farm Olifantwater West, which is northeast of Hoachanas in the Hardap Region, 98 mm of rain was recorded yesterday morning, the Weather Bureau has been informed.According to further figures released by the Meteorological Service, 76,6 millimetres of rain were measured at Khorixas on Saturday morning.This followed on 6,4 mm of rain that was measured at the town on Friday morning.At Nkurenkuru in the Kavango Region, 65 mm of rain was recorded on Saturday morning, while at Okongo in the Ohangwena Region, 59,7 mm was measured at the same time.Just over 10 mm of rain had been recorded at Okongo on Friday morning, and a further 6,7 mm was measured there on Sunday morning.Measurements of 65 mm and 40 mm on Sunday at farms in the Vaalgras area between Windhoek and Rehoboth were also reported to the Weather Bureau.At Ondangwa, 4 mm was measured on Friday, followed by 31,9 mm on Saturday and 4,7 mm yesterday.By yesterday, a total of 42 mm of rain had been measured at Ondangwa since Friday.At Katima Mulilo, a total of 23,8 mm of rain was recorded between Friday and yesterday, while 30 mm had been recorded at Rundu over the same period.At the Windhoek Met Office, 3,4 mm was recorded on Saturday, with an additional 10,2 mm recorded on Sunday morning and 9,4 mm measured yesterday, to bring that rainfall station’s total from Friday to yesterday to 23,2 mm.Some 11 mm of rain was recorded at Mariental between Friday and yesterday, while at Keetmanshoop, 2,2 mm was recorded on Saturday morning and 6,4 mm on Sunday.At Karasburg, 17,3 mm was measured on Sunday, and another 0,3 mm yesterday.