Wet week ahead
More rain is in store for the rest of the week, and another wet spell can be expected before the end of the rainy season.
The rains that fell over many parts of the country this weekend are likely not the last of the season.
Professor Peet Pienaaar, a weather forecaster based in South Africa, told Namibian Sun that the current rain was expected to continue until later this week.
“The rains are not over yet. I think you can still expect some good rains. If you look at the inflow of tropical air from the north, then it is likely that Namibia can expect rains this week, and later this month,” he said.
The rainy weather in many areas of Namibia is expected to continue until Friday, although it will be restricted to the far south on Friday, local weather forecasters say.
Chief weather forecaster Odillo Kgobetsi at the Windhoek weather bureau on Sunday says heavy to moderate rainfall is likely over most parts of Namibia today and tomorrow, except in the extreme southwest and the Zambezi, Kavango and Ohangwena regions.
On Thursday and Friday, mild to moderate showers are expected in the northwest, central and eastern regions of the country.
By the end of the week a cold front will reach the south, where minimum temperatures will drop close to 10 degrees and maximum temperatures will remain between 24 and 27 degrees.
On Thursday and Friday “frontal showers are possible in the far south”, Kgobetsi says.
On Saturday temperatures are expected to rise gradually in the south.
On Friday, the weather bureau recorded 50mm of rain at Tsumeb, more than 19mm at Okongo and 17mm at Omuthiya. Other areas that received rainfall included Windhoek, Oshakati, Outapi, Khorixas, Karasburg and Etosha National Park.
On Saturday, heavy rain fell in Windhoek, with 26mm reported in Wanaheda. Rundu, Sesfontein, Omaruru, Etosha National Park, Outjo and Outapi also recorded rainfall.
Gobabis is okay
Dams in the Omaheke Region remain low at 17% overall. The Otjivero main dam at Omitara is 27.2% full and the Otjivero silt dam 1.9%. The Tilda Viljoen Dam at Gobabis is 28.8% full and its twin, the Daan Viljoen Dam, is at 32.63%. Gobabis municipality spokesperson Frederick Ueitele recently assured residents that the water supply to the town was “secured beyond 2018”.
He said there was no need for alarm about the water situation at Gobabis, but the municipality was discussing possible water restrictions.
Ueitele said the town had access to more than 50 boreholes that could supply at least 120 000 cubic metres of water per month. The town's average monthly use is 85 000 cubic metres. He explained that the town's water reservoir was fed by the dams plus the boreholes.
Dam levels
The three central dams, Swakoppoort, Von Bach and Omatako, are on average 49.1% full.
The Swakoppoort Dam is at 38.6%, the Von Bach at 58.7% and the Omatako Dam at 53.7%l.
The small Friedenau Dam is 36% full and the Goreangab is more than 100% full.
In the south, the Hardap Dam is at 69.9% of capacity, the Naute at 97.7% and the Oanob Dam at 91.2%.
The Olushandja Dam outside Oshakati is 47.1% full.
JANA-MARI SMITH
Professor Peet Pienaaar, a weather forecaster based in South Africa, told Namibian Sun that the current rain was expected to continue until later this week.
“The rains are not over yet. I think you can still expect some good rains. If you look at the inflow of tropical air from the north, then it is likely that Namibia can expect rains this week, and later this month,” he said.
The rainy weather in many areas of Namibia is expected to continue until Friday, although it will be restricted to the far south on Friday, local weather forecasters say.
Chief weather forecaster Odillo Kgobetsi at the Windhoek weather bureau on Sunday says heavy to moderate rainfall is likely over most parts of Namibia today and tomorrow, except in the extreme southwest and the Zambezi, Kavango and Ohangwena regions.
On Thursday and Friday, mild to moderate showers are expected in the northwest, central and eastern regions of the country.
By the end of the week a cold front will reach the south, where minimum temperatures will drop close to 10 degrees and maximum temperatures will remain between 24 and 27 degrees.
On Thursday and Friday “frontal showers are possible in the far south”, Kgobetsi says.
On Saturday temperatures are expected to rise gradually in the south.
On Friday, the weather bureau recorded 50mm of rain at Tsumeb, more than 19mm at Okongo and 17mm at Omuthiya. Other areas that received rainfall included Windhoek, Oshakati, Outapi, Khorixas, Karasburg and Etosha National Park.
On Saturday, heavy rain fell in Windhoek, with 26mm reported in Wanaheda. Rundu, Sesfontein, Omaruru, Etosha National Park, Outjo and Outapi also recorded rainfall.
Gobabis is okay
Dams in the Omaheke Region remain low at 17% overall. The Otjivero main dam at Omitara is 27.2% full and the Otjivero silt dam 1.9%. The Tilda Viljoen Dam at Gobabis is 28.8% full and its twin, the Daan Viljoen Dam, is at 32.63%. Gobabis municipality spokesperson Frederick Ueitele recently assured residents that the water supply to the town was “secured beyond 2018”.
He said there was no need for alarm about the water situation at Gobabis, but the municipality was discussing possible water restrictions.
Ueitele said the town had access to more than 50 boreholes that could supply at least 120 000 cubic metres of water per month. The town's average monthly use is 85 000 cubic metres. He explained that the town's water reservoir was fed by the dams plus the boreholes.
Dam levels
The three central dams, Swakoppoort, Von Bach and Omatako, are on average 49.1% full.
The Swakoppoort Dam is at 38.6%, the Von Bach at 58.7% and the Omatako Dam at 53.7%l.
The small Friedenau Dam is 36% full and the Goreangab is more than 100% full.
In the south, the Hardap Dam is at 69.9% of capacity, the Naute at 97.7% and the Oanob Dam at 91.2%.
The Olushandja Dam outside Oshakati is 47.1% full.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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