Rain greets the New Year

DAMS and rivers are filling up across Namibia as good rainfall continues to fall since shortly before the end of 2010.

Bursts of heavy rain have fallen across many areas of Namibia, especially in the northern, central and eastern parts of the country. In one cloudburst, on the first day of 2011, Okaukuejo measured 93,7 millimetres.As the rainy conditions moved in from the north since shortly after Christmas, Rundu and surrounding areas have recorded the highest total rainfall to date, measuring more than 100 mm in a few days. Pockets of high rainfall were also measured in Ondangwa, Oshikango, Oshakati and Okahao, with Ondangwa measuring the highest rainfall of more than 50 mm in two days.Moving towards the north-central areas, Grootfontein, Tsumeb and Otjiwarongo received more than 30 millimetres since New Year’s Day.At Okakarara, 56,8 millimetres of rain fell on January 2.Although the central areas have received consistent rainfall for more or less a week, the highest rainfall has been measured at Rehoboth, with a little over 50 millimetres recorded since the first day of January.Prospects of rain remain favourable throughout the rest of the week across the whole country, the Namibia Meteorological Service confirmed yesterday.Today, cloudy and partly cloudy weather with scattered showers and thundershowers is forecast for the northwest extending to the central high ground, Simon Dirkse of the Meteorological Service said.Isolated showers and thundershowers will be received elsewhere in the country, with heavy rains expected in the northwest.