Malawi to experience normal rains – Met Department

The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services has estimated that Malawi will receive normal rains in the 2016/2017 which will start from October this year to March next year.

The department made the revelation on Tuesday afternoon during a press briefing in Blantyre organized with the aim of informing the general public on what to expect following a dry season that occurred last year in some parts of the country.

The department’s director Jollam Nkhokwe said based on the observations and analyses in Malawi, with further additional input from consensus forecast from the climate experts meeting that took place in Zimbabwe, the country will have normal rains.

“During October to December 2016, the greater part of southern half of the country is expected to have normal to above normal rainfall amounts while the greater part of northern had will have normal to below normal rainfall amounts.

“During the period of January to March 2017, the greater part of the country is expected to experience normal to above normal rainfall amounts.

“Overall, the greater part of the country is going to experience normal to above normal rainfall amounts during October 2016 to March 2017,” said Nkhokwe.

However, Nkhokwe was quick to remind the public that if Malawi will not experience normal to above normal rainfall amounts during the said period, Malawians should not point fingers at the department saying they only do the estimations.

He also warned the general public that cases of flooding and dry spells are likely to occur in some areas of the country during the said period.

If the rains comes as expected, it will be a sigh of relief to Malawians who experienced dry spells resulting in massive hunger situation in most parts of the country.