Strong rains on way

HEAVY rains, and at some places also hail, are expected over parts of Namibia from today and over the next couple of days.

The northeastern half of Namibia – the parts of the country from the Kunene Region in the northwest, down to the Windhoek area and on to the Kalahari area in the southeast – can expect to receive heavy downpours from tomorrow to Friday, weather forecaster Riaan van Zyl of the Meteorological Service of Namibia told The Namibian yesterday. He said heavy rains are expected to start in the northwestern parts of the country today already, and that these will spread towards the central and southeastern areas of Namibia by tomorrow.Showers measuring over 50 millimetres of rain, and up to 80 mm in places, as well as hail, can be expected over these areas, Van Zyl said.The heavy rains are forecast to start shifting further east by Saturday, he added.According to weather forecaster Victor Kaurimuje of the Meteorological Office at Hosea Kutako International Airport east of Windhoek, the central northern, northwestern and central areas of Namibia have a 40 to 60 per cent chance of rain from today to Saturday.By Sunday, the wet weather is expected to start clearing over the western half of the country, but rains should continue to fall over the central northern, northeastern and central eastern parts of Namibia, with a 20 to 40 per cent chance of showers over these parts, Kaurimuje said.According to the Meteorological Service, an upper air trough developing west of Namibia will draw vast amounts of moisture southwards.This moisture will enter Namibia in the northwest today, spreading over the central plateau southeast towards the Kalahari, with good to heavy falls with hail expected especially in the Otjozondjupa, eastern Khomas and Omaheke Regions.He said heavy rains are expected to start in the northwestern parts of the country today already, and that these will spread towards the central and southeastern areas of Namibia by tomorrow.Showers measuring over 50 millimetres of rain, and up to 80 mm in places, as well as hail, can be expected over these areas, Van Zyl said. The heavy rains are forecast to start shifting further east by Saturday, he added.According to weather forecaster Victor Kaurimuje of the Meteorological Office at Hosea Kutako International Airport east of Windhoek, the central northern, northwestern and central areas of Namibia have a 40 to 60 per cent chance of rain from today to Saturday.By Sunday, the wet weather is expected to start clearing over the western half of the country, but rains should continue to fall over the central northern, northeastern and central eastern parts of Namibia, with a 20 to 40 per cent chance of showers over these parts, Kaurimuje said.According to the Meteorological Service, an upper air trough developing west of Namibia will draw vast amounts of moisture southwards.This moisture will enter Namibia in the northwest today, spreading over the central plateau southeast towards the Kalahari, with good to heavy falls with hail expected especially in the Otjozondjupa, eastern Khomas and Omaheke Regions.