A drier than usual season is expected in most East African countries, including Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, most of Uganda, Kenya, southern, central and north-western Somalia and southern Ethiopia between October and December this year.
This is according to a seasonal forecast issued Wednesday by the Nairobi-based IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC).
Weather predictions released on the sideline of the Fifty-six Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF56) that took place by videoconference due to COVID-19 show that October to December is an important rainfall season for Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and southeastern Ethiopia.
An usually dry spell is expected in most parts of the region but that a wetter than usual season is expected in the coastal area of Sudan along the Red Sea.
Small chances of higher than usual rainfall over western Uganda and northern Somalia is also expected, it said.
In addition, climate experts predict that rains are expected to start late (compared to the 1981-2010 average onset) over Tanzania, Burundi, eastern Kenya, southern and central Somalia and southeaster Ethiopia.
On the other hand, rains are expected to start earlier than usual over southern Uganda, Rwanda, western Kenya and the area centred around the border intersections of Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Warmer than usual temperatures are expected over most of the region with higher temperatures expected in western Uganda, central South Sudan, northeastern Sudan, parts of southern Kenya and over Tanzania’s coast.
Cooler than usual temperatures could be expected over western Tanzania and over the central parts of the region, it said.
CU/as/APA