East Africa Braces for Intense Downpours

By Gift Briton

Sections of western Ethiopia and South Sudan are preparing for heavy rains that may be within the top 10 percent of recorded levels, as per the newest weekly prediction from the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC).

The weather prediction indicates rainfall surpassing the 90th percentile in these regions, indicating possibly hazardous situations that might lead to floods and disturb communities already susceptible to climatic extremities.

Outside these special regions, higher-than-average precipitation is anticipated over larger parts of western Ethiopia, northeast and west South Sudan, southeast Sudan, as well as scattered sections of western Kenya and southern Tanzania.

Nevertheless, as certain regions gear up for possible floods, the majority of Somalia, Uganda, southern Ethiopia, along with portions of both northern and southern South Sudan, encounter rainfall levels that fall short of normal expectations.

A moderate amount of rain between 50-200 millimeters is predicted over much of South Sudan, southern Sudan, and western Ethiopia. In contrast, light rainfall with amounts under 50 millimeters is anticipated throughout most areas of Uganda, Rwanda, parts of western and coastal Kenya, as well as regions in southern and eastern Tanzania, central to southern Somalia, central Ethiopia, western Eritrea, southwestern Sudan, and southeastern South Sudan.

ICPAC reports that much of the Greater Horn of Africa is expected to face hotter-than-normal temperatures, with significantly higher heat stress predicted for Ethiopia’s Afar region, South Sudan, and the northern coast of Somalia.

High temperatures above 32°C are anticipated throughout southern Sudan, along the coast of Eritrea, in northeast Ethiopia, Djibouti, and the coastal regions of northern Somalia.

Most parts of Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, northwest and coastal areas of Tanzania, northern and eastern regions of Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, and southeast Ethiopia will experience moderately to highly elevated temperatures between 20-32°C.

Cooler-than-normal temperatures are anticipated only in certain sections of northern Sudan and sporadic areas throughout the region, providing some respite from the generally warm climate.