Rainy season expected in March, say weather experts
Jan 25, 2009
WEATHER experts have predicted that the current dry season will persist until March despite interruptions of a few recent down pours experienced countrywide.
By Gerald Tenywa
WEATHER experts have predicted that the current dry season will persist until March despite interruptions of a few recent down pours experienced countrywide.
Aloysius Kagoro, a Principal Meteorologist, said : “It is not strange to receive some rain because January is not completely dry.â€
Data from Entebbe weather forecast Station shows that Tororo received the highest amount of rainfall in the last two days. It was followed by Jinja and Entebbe. While Lira posted the highest temperature at 35.40C on January 15. It was followed by Arua at 31.10C on January 22 and Tororo at 29.50C on January 22.
Kagoro also said the temperatures will remain high until the beginning of the rainy season.
He said a detailed weather forecast report for March-May will be discussed at a regional meeting in Nairobi next month.
The rainy season ended early in November, so herdsmen in parts of the cattle corridor are being hit by scarcity of water and pasture.
The district environment officer in Nakasongola, John Kunobere, said herdsmen have started migrating to areas around Lake Kyoga and rivers Lugogo and Kafu as the harsh conditions worsen.
“The herdsmen migrate to avoid death of their animals due to starvation and too much heat in the dry-season,†said Kunobere.
In Mbarara, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has contributed to management of the dry season by creating migratory corridors within Lake Mburo National Park for the herdsmen to access water for their animals. However, most herdsmen remain in the park after feeding their animals and this has often caused conflicts between the herdsmen and UWA.
In eastern and northern Uganda, the coming rainy season will provide relief since farmers suffered heavy losses during the destruction caused by floods two years ago. This was followed by drought and more floods last year.
As food shortages hit Karamoja, the pastoralists move outside their districts, which leads to conflicts with the settled communities that depend on cultivation.
WEATHER experts have predicted that the current dry season will persist until March despite interruptions of a few recent down pours experienced countrywide.
Aloysius Kagoro, a Principal Meteorologist, said : “It is not strange to receive some rain because January is not completely dry.â€
Data from Entebbe weather forecast Station shows that Tororo received the highest amount of rainfall in the last two days. It was followed by Jinja and Entebbe. While Lira posted the highest temperature at 35.40C on January 15. It was followed by Arua at 31.10C on January 22 and Tororo at 29.50C on January 22.
Kagoro also said the temperatures will remain high until the beginning of the rainy season.
He said a detailed weather forecast report for March-May will be discussed at a regional meeting in Nairobi next month.
The rainy season ended early in November, so herdsmen in parts of the cattle corridor are being hit by scarcity of water and pasture.
The district environment officer in Nakasongola, John Kunobere, said herdsmen have started migrating to areas around Lake Kyoga and rivers Lugogo and Kafu as the harsh conditions worsen.
“The herdsmen migrate to avoid death of their animals due to starvation and too much heat in the dry-season,†said Kunobere.
In Mbarara, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has contributed to management of the dry season by creating migratory corridors within Lake Mburo National Park for the herdsmen to access water for their animals. However, most herdsmen remain in the park after feeding their animals and this has often caused conflicts between the herdsmen and UWA.
In eastern and northern Uganda, the coming rainy season will provide relief since farmers suffered heavy losses during the destruction caused by floods two years ago. This was followed by drought and more floods last year.
As food shortages hit Karamoja, the pastoralists move outside their districts, which leads to conflicts with the settled communities that depend on cultivation.