Residents of western South Africa are bracing for strong winds, heavy rain and chilly winter weather as a cold front approaches. (Photo: Jason Oxenham/Getty Images)
While meeting virtually, SARCOF groups all regional climate experts predicted that the bulk of SADC is likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall for most of the first half of the summer season from October to December this year.
Zimbabwe is among the countries that are expected to receive normal to above-normal rainfall for the full six months from October this year to March next year.
But the regional body said a northern belt territory — northwestern Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, most of eastern Madagascar, northern Malawi, northern Mozambique, Seychelles, Tanzania and northeastern Zambia — was likely to receive normal to below normal rains.
According to SADC experts, who participated in the meeting, the forecast implies that there are better chances of an increase in dam levels, potential for good harvests while the growing period will be longer with the good rains. They said the region will also experience heavy rainfall, flash flooding, storms, flooding and diseases such as cholera.
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