Rainy season delay till June
Mar 11, 2009
THE rainy season will be delayed by at least three weeks, but the country will get favourable rainfall apart from the Karamoja region.
By Gerald Tenywa
and Stella Natuhwera
THE rainy season will be delayed by at least three weeks, but the country will get favourable rainfall apart from the Karamoja region.
The onset of steady rains is expected in April and erratic rains are likely to continue into June.
The delay is attributed to the fact that the rain making belt has been influenced by abnormal conditions in the Indian Ocean.
Aloysius Kagoro, a principal meteorologist, said: “The onset of steady rains is likely to be delayed due to the prevailing anomalies over south-western Indian Ocean. This is likely to keep the rain bearing belt (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone) to the south a bit longer,â€
However, another poor rainy season has been predicted for Karamoja, raising fears that the severe drought will persist and worsen the current food shortage.
Tarsis Kabwegyere, the minister for disaster preparedness, said: “Karamoja region is expected to experience drought and water stress. We were aware of this and we are ready to address the disaster.â€
He was speaking at a press conference at the Media Centre in Kampala where the weather forecast for the March-May rainy season 2009 was released.
Kabwegyere said this was the third consecutive bad rainy season that Karamoja was experiencing in the last three years.
The weather forecast report indicates that parts of the north-eastern region (Katakwi, Moroto, Kotido, Nakapiripirit) have been experiencing a prolonged dry season since mid-November.
Kabwegyere also said disasters are expected in some parts of the country.
“In the eastern, western and northern parts, there is possibility of flash floods,†he said.
“The possibility of land slides is high in mountainous areas (Mbale, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kabale, and Kisoro). Hail storms, lightening strikes and strong winds are also likely to occur,†Kabwegyere added.
However, he said, the Government and the world Food Programme were working together to provide funding that can make food available up to November.
During the season of September to December 2008, the rainfall was concentrated in the first two months of the season (September and October).
More so, normal to above normal rainfall was recorded in most areas. Above normal rain is defined as favourable rain that boosts social-economic activities, while below normal rain negatively affects livelihood.
In the first week of November, heavy rainfall, which caused flash floods, was experienced in Soroti and Tororo in the east.
However, the season ended earlier than anticipated, in mid-November, in most parts of the country.
and Stella Natuhwera
THE rainy season will be delayed by at least three weeks, but the country will get favourable rainfall apart from the Karamoja region.
The onset of steady rains is expected in April and erratic rains are likely to continue into June.
The delay is attributed to the fact that the rain making belt has been influenced by abnormal conditions in the Indian Ocean.
Aloysius Kagoro, a principal meteorologist, said: “The onset of steady rains is likely to be delayed due to the prevailing anomalies over south-western Indian Ocean. This is likely to keep the rain bearing belt (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone) to the south a bit longer,â€
However, another poor rainy season has been predicted for Karamoja, raising fears that the severe drought will persist and worsen the current food shortage.
Tarsis Kabwegyere, the minister for disaster preparedness, said: “Karamoja region is expected to experience drought and water stress. We were aware of this and we are ready to address the disaster.â€
He was speaking at a press conference at the Media Centre in Kampala where the weather forecast for the March-May rainy season 2009 was released.
Kabwegyere said this was the third consecutive bad rainy season that Karamoja was experiencing in the last three years.
The weather forecast report indicates that parts of the north-eastern region (Katakwi, Moroto, Kotido, Nakapiripirit) have been experiencing a prolonged dry season since mid-November.
Kabwegyere also said disasters are expected in some parts of the country.
“In the eastern, western and northern parts, there is possibility of flash floods,†he said.
“The possibility of land slides is high in mountainous areas (Mbale, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kabale, and Kisoro). Hail storms, lightening strikes and strong winds are also likely to occur,†Kabwegyere added.
However, he said, the Government and the world Food Programme were working together to provide funding that can make food available up to November.
During the season of September to December 2008, the rainfall was concentrated in the first two months of the season (September and October).
More so, normal to above normal rainfall was recorded in most areas. Above normal rain is defined as favourable rain that boosts social-economic activities, while below normal rain negatively affects livelihood.
In the first week of November, heavy rainfall, which caused flash floods, was experienced in Soroti and Tororo in the east.
However, the season ended earlier than anticipated, in mid-November, in most parts of the country.