More rains in store for SADC region

COUNTRIES in the Southern African Development Community, Zimbabwe included, must brace for normal to above-normal rainfall between February and June, the recent 32nd Second Southern African Regional Climate Outlook Forum (Sarcof-32) report has revealed. This comes as the member states have been challenged to invest in meteorological infrastructure and adopt emerging technologies to enhance accuracy in forecasts and provide best services to weather information users. In a statement from the 32nd Second Southern African Regional Climate Outlook Forum (Sarcof-32) held in Eswatini last week, the SADC CSC said: “The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall for most of the period from February to June 2026, except for the entire western coastal areas and north-eastern parts of the SADC region.

From February to March, most parts of DRC, eastern most parts of Angola, most of eastern Namibia, Zambia, western Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, most of Mozambique, Eswatini, Lesotho, and most of South Africa will have normal rainfall with increased chances of above-normal rainfall. “Below normal rainfall is expected only over Mauritius during the April to June (AMJ) 2026 period,” read the statement. According to the statement, the temperature outlook for the February to June 2026 season indicated that temperatures were expected to be mostly above long-term averages over the whole of the SADC, except for the central parts of the region, where cooler than normal temperatures are expected.

“The ENSO is projected to transit from a weak La Niña to neutral conditions. Another driver affecting the SADC’s regional climate is the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), which is currently in a negative phase and is forecast to transition into a neutral phase during the upcoming outlook period,” said the forecast. World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) representative for Eastern and Southern Africa, Ms Hlobsile Sikhosana, said: “The recent events, which mostly affected Mozambique and South Africa, highlighted the region’s challenges to respond to disasters and gaps in early warning coverage, particularly in least developed countries.” She said there was a need to enhance capacities in meteorological institutions at the regional and national levels.

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“There should be clear and very smooth coordination between regional and national institutions so that there is better communication in terms of what to expect at the local level. “There is need to invest in meteorological infrastructure and adoption of emerging technologies to enhance accuracy of our forecasts and ensure we provide best services to our clients — aviation, maritime, agriculture, water resources and economic sectors in terms of how they can effectively use the information we give them; to provide them with the right decision making tools, and make decisions that will save lives and infrastructure,” she said. Ms Sikhosana urged meteorological institutions to come up with innovative sources of funding and foster sustainability.

“As meteorological institutions, we need to look beyond Government resources; we need to be innovative and to be strategic in how we mobilise additional resources, as the traditional sources of finance have not been adequate in the past to provide us with equipment to deliver on our mandate. “We are ready to partner with UN agencies and other development partners to develop projects that advance meteorological services. There is also a need to strengthen meteorological education among communities,” she said.

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