Southern Africa: Rain season (October 2018 - March 2019) outlook! [update]

The 22nd Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF-22) has isuued the annual outlook for the 2018/2019 rainfall season (October - March) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region*. The period, October to March, is the main rainfall season over most of southern Africa. The countries covered by the outlook include all SADC member states (Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Eswatini (Swaziland), Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe).

According to the official statement (pdf), the bulk of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is likely to receive normal to below-normal rainfall for most of the period October to December 2018 and above-normal rainfall over the northern half of Tanzania. From January to March 2019, most of the region will receive normal to below normal rainfall. Normal to above normal rainfall will be received throughout the 2018/19 rainy season in northern most Angola, central most Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), south-western Tanzania, northern Malawi and the islands states of Comoros, Mauritius, eastern most Madagascar and Seychelles.
The mean temperature will be normal to above normal for most of the 2018/19 season over the entire SADC region, except for Northeast of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), north-western Tanzania, extreme south of Mozambique, Eswatini (Swaziland), extreme east of South Africa, central South Africa, half north of Lesotho, extreme southwest of Botswana, south of Namibia, northwest of South Africa with the likelihood of above normal temperature. For detailed information on the climate outlook, click here (pdf)!