Roll on, black clouds, roll on

WITH the heavens opening over most parts of Namibia this week, more widespread rainfall is in store for large parts of the country well into the weekend, the Weather Bureau forecast yesterday.

While dark clouds continued to blanket Windhoek yesterday, bringing intermittent showers throughout the day, the Meteorological Service announced that the capital had by yesterday already surpassed its average rainfall figures for the whole of January by about 50 per cent. Weather stations across the country – from as far south as Karasburg; as far west as Gobabeb in the Namib desert; as far east as Gobabis; and as far north as Rundu and Ondangwa – continued to report rainfall over the 24 hours from 08h00 on Monday, the Meteorological Office at the Hosea Kutako International Airport reported.Few major inflows into the country’s biggest dams had been recorded by yesterday, though.NamWater said late yesterday afternoon that the Swakop River was flowing, with the Von Bach Dam near Okahandja – one of Windhoek’s main water sources – having received some 300 000 cubic metres of water since Monday, to raise its level from 28 to 28,5 per cent.With the river still in flood, a further rise in the dam’s level could be seen by today, according to NamWater.The Airport Met Office’s forecaster Odillo Kgobetsi added that more wet weather could be expected for most of the country into the weekend.The rainfall outlook for central and southern Namibia looked especially favourable for the next two days, Kgobetsi said.By tomorrow, though, cloudy skies are expected to start clearing over the extreme south-west; over other parts of the country, a continued inflow of moist air is forecast to produce more rain, Kgobetsi said.Rainfall conditions are weaker over the north-east of the country, while over other parts of Namibia the intensity of the current rains should decrease by Friday, he added.For the north-west, western parts of the Otjozondjupa Region, the central highlands, the Khomas Region and the south-east, the forecasters predict more rains up to Sunday.Rainfall figures reported to the Airport Met Office follow the pattern of stronger downpours in the centre and weaker falls in the northeast described by Kgobetsi.Katima Mulilo, in the north-east, reported a total of 0,4 millimetres for the 24 hours to 08h00 yesterday; over the same period Rundu recorded 11,1 mm.In the central north, Ondangwa registered 5,4 mm; closer to central Namibia, Omaruru recorded 17,8 mm and Khorixas in the west received 12 mm.The Met Office in central Windhoek reported 33 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours to 08h00, while Leonardville in the East recorded 40 mm.In the South 18,5 mm was reported from Mariental (on top of 8 mm measured on Monday), falls ranging from 22 to 41 mm fell in the Stampriet area, 25 mm fell over Gochas, and 13 mm in both Keetmanshoop and Karasburg.Yesterday’s highest reported measurements came from Karibib in the west, where the gauge stood at 52 mm, and from the Mount Etjo area between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo, where measurements ranged between 40 and 65 mm, Kgobetsi said.At Otjiwarongo itself, a figure of 25 mm measured on Saturday morning was supplemented by another 22 mm in the 24 hours from 08h00 on Monday.This week’s rains brought Windhoek’s total for January to 116 mm by yesterday, according to Jennifer Moetie, Chief Meteorological Technician at the Namibia Meteorological Service.That was 49,5 per cent higher than the capital’s normal total January rainfall of 77,5 mm, she explained.This above-average month follows lower-than-average totals recorded in the capital in November and December.But, unlike January, those two months – whose rainfall averages are 19,7 mm and 35 mm respectively – are not normally numbered among the rainiest months for the city.Weather stations across the country – from as far south as Karasburg; as far west as Gobabeb in the Namib desert; as far east as Gobabis; and as far north as Rundu and Ondangwa – continued to report rainfall over the 24 hours from 08h00 on Monday, the Meteorological Office at the Hosea Kutako International Airport reported. Few major inflows into the country’s biggest dams had been recorded by yesterday, though. NamWater said late yesterday afternoon that the Swakop River was flowing, with the Von Bach Dam near Okahandja – one of Windhoek’s main water sources – having received some 300 000 cubic metres of water since Monday, to raise its level from 28 to 28,5 per cent. With the river still in flood, a further rise in the dam’s level could be seen by today, according to NamWater. The Airport Met Office’s forecaster Odillo Kgobetsi added that more wet weather could be expected for most of the country into the weekend. The rainfall outlook for central and southern Namibia looked especially favourable for the next two days, Kgobetsi said. By tomorrow, though, cloudy skies are expected to start clearing over the extreme south-west; over other parts of the country, a continued inflow of moist air is forecast to produce more rain, Kgobetsi said. Rainfall conditions are weaker over the north-east of the country, while over other parts of Namibia the intensity of the current rains should decrease by Friday, he added. For the north-west, western parts of the Otjozondjupa Region, the central highlands, the Khomas Region and the south-east, the forecasters predict more rains up to Sunday. Rainfall figures reported to the Airport Met Office follow the pattern of stronger downpours in the centre and weaker falls in the northeast described by Kgobetsi. Katima Mulilo, in the north-east, reported a total of 0,4 millimetres for the 24 hours to 08h00 yesterday; over the same period Rundu recorded 11,1 mm. In the central north, Ondangwa registered 5,4 mm; closer to central Namibia, Omaruru recorded 17,8 mm and Khorixas in the west received 12 mm. The Met Office in central Windhoek reported 33 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours to 08h00, while Leonardville in the East recorded 40 mm. In the South 18,5 mm was reported from Mariental (on top of 8 mm measured on Monday), falls ranging from 22 to 41 mm fell in the Stampriet area, 25 mm fell over Gochas, and 13 mm in both Keetmanshoop and Karasburg. Yesterday’s highest reported measurements came from Karibib in the west, where the gauge stood at 52 mm, and from the Mount Etjo area between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo, where measurements ranged between 40 and 65 mm, Kgobetsi said. At Otjiwarongo itself, a figure of 25 mm measured on Saturday morning was supplemented by another 22 mm in the 24 hours from 08h00 on Monday. This week’s rains brought Windhoek’s total for January to 116 mm by yesterday, according to Jennifer Moetie, Chief Meteorological Technician at the Namibia Meteorological Service. That was 49,5 per cent higher than the capital’s normal total January rainfall of 77,5 mm, she explained. This above-average month follows lower-than-average totals recorded in the capital in November and December. But, unlike January, those two months – whose rainfall averages are 19,7 mm and 35 mm respectively – are not normally numbered among the rainiest months for the city.