BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Department of Climate Change and Meteorological (MET) Services which is under the ministry of natural resources, energy and mining on Sunday issued a strong weather warning for this week.
The warning came through a press statement which is below;
As from Sunday 10 March to Thursday 14 March 2019, most of the south and central areas of the country are likely to experience mostly dry and sunny weather conditions due to descending and compressing widespread layer of air originating aloft the Tropical Storm IDAI currently situated in the Mozambique Channel at a distance of 900 kilometres to Malawi border close to Madagascar, while isolated to scattered thunderstorms which will be locally heavy over the north and extreme northern areas of central Malawi due to oscillation of Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).
As from Friday 15th Mach to Sunday 17th March most of the south, centre and northern areas of the country are likely to experience scattered rains with occasional thunderstorms associated with strong winds which will be locally heavy due to combined effects of Congo air mass and channel originating from Tropical Storm IDAI in Mozambique Channel as it moves towards Mozambique, boosted by heating during sunny intervals, and lifting of airflow over high ground.
Currently the Indian Ocean that includes the Mozambique Channel is still very active for tropical cyclone formation. The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services is therefore closely monitoring the movement of Tropical Storm IDAI in the Mozambique Channel and its associated weather to keep the Malawi nation well informed and safe.
The general public is advised to undertake rainwater harvesting, a process of collection and storage of rainwater from surfaces on which rain falls into natural reservoirs or tanks such as is rooftop rainwater harvesting.
Motorists particularly on dusty roads should always slow down at the first sign of rain as the road surfaces become most slippery due to loss of friction, with dusty roads turning muddy, marshy and slippery during and after rainfall episode. At night and morning hours motorists should excise caution due to reduced visibility caused by the occurrence of fog in prone areas caused by drop in temperatures during any rainfall episode.
The public is also encouraged to carry out tree planting and management activities to enhance reduction of future hazards such as floods and strong winds whose severity and frequency continue to increase due to climate change, rapid urbanization, and population growth.
Daily rainfall figures as reported from stations during the past week when the country was invaded by a deep low pressure system depositing heavy rains mainly over the south from 5 to 8 March 2019 were as follows:
3rd March 2019
South: Nyachilenda 17.2, Makoka 4.7, Ngabu 0.5, Mimosa 0.2
Centre: Lupachi 14.0, Mpamantha 12.0, Mwansambo 8.8, Wimbe 3.5
North: Phazi luwezi 20.0, Madede 16.2, Wiriro 7.6, Baka 7.0
4th March 2019
South: Chichiri 15.6, Mpemba 11.2, MUST 7.1, Zomba NSO 6.0, Ngabu 4.0, Chintumbira 3.8, Makoka 1.0, Mangochi 0.8
Centre: Nkhotakota 14.9
North: kameme 7.0, Chitipa 0.3
5th March 2019
South: Limburi 239.0, Mpemba 129.4, Nyachilenda 109.1, Bvumbwe 98.0, Nsanje boma 92.1, Thuchira 92.0, Chichiri 78.2, MUST 72.2 , Ndirande hill 71.1, Chileka 70.2, Ngabu 65.6, Chintumbira 60.3, Chingale 57.2, Mwazisi 55.2, Makoka 52.8, Supuni 51.5,Kalambo 51.0, Mbewe 48.0, Kasinthula 47.8, Dzaone 46.0, Mangochi 44.3, Iponga 42.5, Matapwata 41.1, Ntaja 41.0, Lungwena 40.8, Chanco 38.6, Lirangwe 32.2, Namwera 28.5, Monkeybay 7.3
Centre: Salima 0.3, Chitedze 0.2
North: Mwazisi 55.2, Iponga 42.5, Bolero 28.1, Chitipa 26.1, Mjinge (Mzimba) 24.5, Mzimba 18.1, Mzuzu 12.1, Nkhatabay 11.6, Chikangawa 10.0, Mwakashunguti 3.2, Karonga airport 0.1
6th March 2019
South: Mpemba 255.5, Chizunga 185.0, Lungwena 179.0, Tsangano 140.3, Chileka 160.0, Bvumbwe 127.0, Namwera 123.3, Zomba NSO 117.0, Ndirande hill 112.0, Chichiri 105.0, Ntaja 104.2, Chancol 99.0, Ngabu 91.8, Nsanje boma 89.9, Lirangwe 89.6, Kasinthula 89.2, Thuchira 83.6, Mimosa 76.0, Balaka 75.4, Mbewe 74.0, Billy Ngabu 73.0, Morgen 68.1, Makoka 66.6, Monkeybay 52.0
Centre: Dedza 122.2, Nsipe 76.2, Nathenje 61.5, Kasiya 44.6, Chitedze 41.6, Salima 35.1, KIA 31.0, Dowa 18.0, Santhe 15.4, Kasungu 8.0, Mwansambo 5.8, Wimbe 5.6, Mpamantha 1.4
North: Mwazisi 15.3, Phazi luwerezi 24.0, Mbawa 14.7, Kafukule 10.1, Wiriro 9.9, Chibandauka 8.5, Chitipa 7.9, Kapopo 7.5, Kawalazi 6.0, Mzimba 5.4, Chikangawa 4.0, Baka 2.6, Manyamula 1.8
7th March 2019
South: Tsangano 220.8, Zomba LEAD 166.2, Chileka 147.3, Zomba NSO 141.0, Chanco 130.8, Kasinthula 117.2, Makoka 126.5, Chizunga tea 115.0, Lirangwe 106.2, Chikwawa boma 103.3, Mpemba 103.0, Ndirande hill 100.0,MUST 99.3,Nsanje Boma 90.0,Thuchira 98.5,Supuni 97.5, Chichiri 84.5, Mbewe EPA 84.0, Walkers ferry 82.3,Ntaja 66.3,Mimosa 63.1,Mangochi 56.6, Lungwena 56.2, Balaka 69.6, Chintumbira 69.0, Matapwata 47.2, Mawira 45.8, Ngabu 38.6, Monkeybay 2.2
Centre: Nsipe 78.5, Dedza 73.0, Nathenje 45.0, Chitedze 28.5, KIA 16.1, Kasungu 3.2
North: Holla 13.7, Lemero 10.2, Songwe 3.5, Chitipa 3.1, Iponga 2.0, Chankholombe 1.8, Mzuzu 1.6, Nkhatabay 1.4, Mzimba 0.6, Karonga 0.2
8th March 2019
South: Chichiri 37.5,Ntaja 36.7, Mimosa 33.5, Ndirande Hill 30.0,Chileka 21.5, Makoka 19.0, MUST 18.3, Ngabu 10.6, Lirangwe 9.8, Monkeybay 5.9
Centre: Dedza 8.0,KIA 2.0, Chitedze 2.3, Kasungu 2.0, Wimbe 0.6
North: Chintheche 40.0, Njuyu 39.1, Enyezini 35.5, Ekwendeni 25.1, Chibandauka 20.4,Kamwiro 17.5, Chikutu 16.4, Chikangawa 15.0, Mzuzu 14.2,Chitipa 14.1, Kasikizi 9.9, Kayerekera 8.1, Nkhunga 5.3, Mpata 7.2, Nkhatabay 5.6, Silu 3.5, Kasantha 3.1, Baka 2.6, Njewe 2.2
9th March 2019
South: Monkeybay 2.0
Centre: Simulemba 57.4, Chamama 48.0, Wimbe 42.3, Chipala DTC 38.5, KIA 33.8,Chitedze 30.0, Kasungu 28.2, Mpamantha 15.4, Nkhotakota 6.8, Mwansambo 4.1
North; Kasantha 18.7, Mwaulambo 10.0, Mbawa 8.1, Kasikizi 6.6, Mpata 4.4, Bolero 0.3
One millimeter of rainfall is the equivalent of one liter of water per square meter. In terms of volume, a rainfall of 1 mm supplies 1 litre of water to each square metre of the field. Therefore at Mpemba rainfall station which received 255 mm on 6 March means every square metre of the field in Mpemba received 255 litres of rain water on that day.
The general public should always pay due attention to daily and weekly weather forecast updates from the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services to ensure seamless use of weather information on all timescales by the public and to be kept safe from any weather related threats.
Issued by: Jolamu Nkhokwe
Director of Climate Change and Meteorological Services
Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining
Sunday 10 March 2019
Blantyre.
