Juba, South Sudan,
June 09, 2021 – The Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum predicts that South Sudan and at least seven countries in the Horn and Eastern part of Africa will have a “wetter than usual” rain season starting from June through September 2021.
The report first published by the World Meteorological Organization says the eastern and northern parts of the country are expected to receive heavy rain which is starting in northern Tanzania, northern Uganda, western and eastern Kenya.
“A wetter than usual season is expected over western Kenya, eastern Uganda, western Ethiopia, eastern South Sudan, Tanzania, parts of Burundi and Rwanda, and limited areas of northern Somalia,” the met department predicts.
Meanwhile, the forum says a dry spell is also expected to hit parts of the country in what could affect agriculture and jeopardize food production.
“Drier than usual conditions are expected over eastern Eritrea, north-eastern Ethiopia, limited areas of western South Sudan, and a few places over eastern Kenya,” it says.
According to the forum, the season is expected to start 1-2 weeks early in northern Tanzania, northern Uganda, western and eastern Kenya before hitting most of South Sudan, south-western Ethiopia, and southern Somalia.
Meanwhile, the World Meteorological Organization says, a late-onset is expected over north-eastern Ethiopia, in line with the expected drier than usual conditions in this part of the region.
The season is also expected to be warmer than usual in north-eastern Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, north-eastern and north-western South Sudan, Rwanda, and eastern and central Ethiopia. While the temperature is expected to be cooler than usual over most of Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and the cross-border region between Ethiopia and South Sudan.
The Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF57) was convened online on 17 February by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) in collaboration with the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in the region and other partners.
The virtual forum brought together climate services providers and users from key socio-economic sectors, governmental and non-governmental organizations, decision-makers, climate scientists, and civil society stakeholders, among others, to discuss impacts and mitigation measures for the upcoming season.
Most parts of South Sudan are currently receiving a very low amount of rainfall. In some states like Eastern Equatoria, rain has stagnated and residents are grappling with what fate holds in terms of food production.
