The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services has warned Malawians to expect floods in the Northern Region and prolonged dry spells in the South during the 2018/19 rainy season.
The advice was issued in a press statement released on Monday to mark the start of the rainfall season monitoring expected to run from October 2018 to March 2019.
According to the meteorological department, during the season most of the areas in the Northern Region are expected to receive normal to above normal rainfall amounts, while most of the southern areas spilling over into south of central areas of the country are expected to receive normal to below normal rainfall amounts.
“This implies that impacts associated with reduced or increased rainfall amounts such as prolonged dry spells and floods respectively are likely to occur during the season,” the statement says.
The department has since advised farmers to seek advice from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development when applying the forecast in their decision making such as when to plant.
During the 2018/2019 rainfall season, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services will continue to issue seasonal updates, district seasonal forecasts, ten-day rainfall and Agro-meteorological bulletins.
The department will further give weekly forecasts, five-day and daily forecasts, as well as monitor and issue advisories on the development and movement of the tropical cyclones over the South West Indian Ocean.
In Malawi, the main rains fall in November, starting in the south and progressively spreading northwards. During this period, the main rain bearing systems that influence rainfall over Malawi include the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), Congo air mass, Easterly Waves and Tropical Cyclones.
