Little rainfall expected over atypically dry areas of northern Ethiopia
Erratic, below-average rainfall in February and early March, followed by four consecutive weeks of little to no rainfall since mid-March has led to large moisture deficits and rapidly deteriorating ground conditions in Ethiopia. The absence of mid-season rainfall is likely to adversely affect cropping activities in Belg-producing areas of the country.
Below-average rainfall since March has affected crop conditions over bi-modal northern Tanzania. Increased rains over northwestern Tanzania have helped to alleviate short-term moisture deficits.
Late season moisture deficits associated with an early end to the Southern Africa monsoon has negatively affected cropping conditions in northern Malawi and northern Mozambique.
Since late December, below-average and poorly distributed rainfall has led to abnormal dryness across a broad portion of southern Africa. Below average seasonal rainfall and untimely dry spells are likely to lead to reductions in crop production in parts of southern Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho,
Zambia, and South Africa.Poorly distributed rainfall and extended dry spells since January have led to large rainfall deficits and below-average vegetation growth in southern Angola and northern Namibia.
