Sanogo et al. Owusu and Waylen employed intraseasonal and interannual variability methods to monitor rainfall patterns in rainy seasons in the subhumid areas of Africa to assess the potential threat of rainfall variability to food security, although the number of years of rainfall record that is necessary to detect any significant trends in rainfall in arid and semiarid regions is quite debatable [10, 11, 18]. In the four equatorial regions rainfall tends to peaks in the boreal spring and autumn. Precipitation in South Africa decreased to 19.52 mm in December from 35.84 mm in November of 2015. source: Worldbank. x. Research article 26 Jul 2016. Dossier: How the latest tech is cracking the earthquake code, NEVER MISS A STORY - Follow Geographical on Social, Copyright © 2019 Syon Geographical Ltd. All Rights Reserved. ‘The time-series is too short to say anything about long-term climate change,’ Professor Balzter tells Geographical. Mean monthly temperatures are lower than in tropical climates, dropping to about 50 °F (10 °C) in winter, while summer (June–July in North Africa, and December–January in Southern Africa) temperatures may sometimes … They merely reflect climatic impacts over the past ten years. Proposed Solution Using a new database of over 6,000 instances of social conflict over 20 years – the Social Conflict in Africa Database (SCAD) – it examines the effect of deviations from normal rainfall patterns on various types of conflict. Published in the UK since 1935, Geographical is the official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). A RECENT study published in Climate Dynamics suggests that seasonal rain patterns in East Africa could double by the end of this century. In sub-Saharan Africa, 95 percent of agriculture depends on rainfall, which makes accurate weather forecasts absolutely crucial. ‘This means that our maps cannot be regarded as maps of long-term climate change impacts. The implications of the ITD movement on the rainfall pattern in Nigeria have been reported in many studies (Abatan et al., 2016 ... the ITD plays a fundamental role in the spatial variability of rainfall over Nigeria as well as in another part of West Africa, with rainfall decreasing from the southern to the northern part of the region. This article uses a markedly expanded and updated rainfall data set to examine rainfall variability in 13 sectors that cover most of the continent. The net potential effect of severe changes in rainfall pattern is the disruption in crop production leading to food insecurity, joblessness, and poverty. These encompass most of the continent and are 125 to 175 years in length. Rainfall patterns are very hard to analyze, as the trends are rarely statistically significant. The recent decline in Horn of Africa rainfall during the March–May “long rains” season has fomented drought and famine, threatening food security in an already vulnerable region. Currently, about 60 per cent of the world and 90 per cent sub-Saharan African staple food production are under direct rainfed agriculture. A new study led by the University of Leicester has concluded that there have been noticeable changes in rainfall across the African continent over the last ten years. The largest were downward trends in the Sahel and western sectors of North Africa. What is the general pattern of rainfall in Africa? When the scientists looked at rainfall measurements on a year-to-year basis, a second pattern emerged. Africa barely gets over 20 inches of rain over the course of a year. Like longer reads? For instance, the IOD is said to have a strong relationship with seasonal rainfall over Zimbabwe (Manatsa et al. 2008) and southern African summer rainfall (Fauchereau et al. Climate change in Africa is an increasingly serious threat for Africans as Africa is among the most vulnerable continents to climate change. Annual Weather Averages Near Cape Town. 24-hour period ending at 08:00 rainfall in on 2020-12-09 whole mm gauteng irene wo 1 mpumalanga kruger mpumalanga int. Great parts of North Africa and Southern Africa as well as the whole Horn of Africa mainly have a hot desert climate, or a hot semi-arid climate for the wetter locations. In other words, when southern Africa, northern Australia, and South America are dry, sub-Saharan Africa, India and Southeast Asia, and Central America are wet, and vice versa. In general, high temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns are likely to reduce cereal crop productivity across sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from a 2 percent decrease for sorghum to a 35 percent decrease for wheat (Nelson et al., 2009). ,,,,,. Mean annual rainfall 1981–2014, with number of months of 50 mm or more of rainfall. This work presents the longest rainfall series ever published for 13 African regions. Temperature and rainfall patterns vary in response to the movement of a high pressure belt that circles the globe between 25º and 30º south latitude during the winter and low-pressure systems that occur during summer. Trend in rainfall over ten years. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, it has seasons opposite to Europe or North America. Precipitation in South Africa averaged 39.17 mm from 1901 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 145.76 mm in March of 1925 and a record low of 2.50 mm in May of 1986. For the continent as a whole more arid conditions began in the 1980s. The Sahara Desert in North Africa is the largest hot desert in the world and is one of the hottest, driest and sunniest places on Earth. The results indicate that rainfall variability has a significant effect on both large-scale and smaller-scale instances of political conflict. In those regions, an abrupt reduction in rainfall occurred around 1968, but a synchronous change occurred many other parts of Africa. However, there are exceptions to this pattern. All time series cover at least a century and most cover roughly one and one-half centuries or more. Press the Apple, Android or PC/Mac image below to download the app for your device, Copyright © 2019 Syon Geographical Ltd. All Rights Reserved. The effect of ocean temperatures and currents has a maritime and continental effect. West Africa’s climate is controlled by the interaction of two air masses, the influence of which varies throughout the year with the north-south movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). also reported that positive rainfall trends in the West African Sahel are strongest in August and September and extend into October, outside the traditionally‐defined rainy season. Rainfall in interior West Africa is subject to great variability, as well spatial as temporal, expressed by dry seasons of 6 months continuation, enormous interannual variability and the Informative, authoritative and educational, this site’s content covers a wide range of subject areas, including geography, culture, wildlife and exploration, illustrated with superb photography. Over most of South Africa, there is a definite rainfall pattern with rainfall increasing from west to east. Overestimations of summer rainfall occur over Southern Africa in all CMIP5 models. Biodiversity: Estimates suggest that 10 to 15 per cent of species within Africa may become critically endangered or extinct by 2050 due to warmer temperatures and changing precipitation patterns. Climate data and weather averages in Cape Town. Climate is a long-term weather pattern, the sum of features such as temperature, rainfall, and wind. When the scientists looked at rainfall measurements on a year-to-year basis, a second pattern emerged. ‘The weather systems can change a lot on the time-scales of tens of years,’ he says. The diverse climates of Africa range from scorching deserts to icy glaciers, from steamy rainforests to grassy plains. Southern-central Africa and Madagascar: Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe The rainfall patterns in this second group are uncorrelated with Sahelian ones; total amounts are slightly higher, and the inter-annual variability is somewhat less. Green = greener conditions, red = less green conditions (Image: 2014 A.Hoscilo, H.Balzter, E.Bartholomé, M.Boschetti, P.A.Brivio, A.Brink, M.Clerici and J.F.Pekel). Most of South Africa is a summer rainfall area, November to March, while the Western Cape Province receives most of its rain during winter, May to August. Averages are for Cape Town International Airport, which is 11 miles from Cape Town. The amount of rainfall can also vary greatly from year to year as well as season to season. Precipitation Patterns in West Africa Next Article. On the interior plateau the altitude – Johannesburg lies at 1 694 m – keeps the average summer temperatures below 30°C. The region could also experience as much as one meter of sea-level rise by the end of this century under a 4 C warming scenario. 2014). Does this water-borne farm spell a floating future for Rotterdam’s agriculture. A notable change also occurred at the seasonal level. Rainfall variability, in the form of dry years with little rainfall and wet years with more rainfall, can be similar for several years at a time and is a characteristic feature of … Rain falls only in winter (December–January in North Africa, June–July in Southern Africa), although in some localities it may fall in autumn (September in North Africa, April in Southern Africa). Second, the near bisection of the continent by the Equator results in a largely symmetrical arrangement of climatic zones on either side. South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of South Africa to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. Join the thousands following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and stay informed about the world. The wet months of rainfall saturate the region's soil, providing moisture that persists for the drier months of the year. Previous Article. Rainfall data from 28 stations for the period of 1970 – 2002 were collected from the Nigeria Meteorological Station, Lagos. It is labeled Sahel, but includes Soudanian rainfall zones as well. Each region and sub-region of Africa is changing differently but an emerging commonality is a shift towards more intense rainfall - even where there is observed and projected future drying. Fauchereau N, Pohl B, Reason CJC, Rouault M, Richard Y (2009) Recurrent daily OLR patterns in the Southern Africa/Southwest Indian Ocean region, implications for South African rainfall and teleconnections. The rainfall patterns in this second group are uncorrelated with Sahelian ones; total amounts are slightly higher, and the inter-annual variability is somewhat less. In other words, when southern Africa, northern Australia, and South America are dry, sub-Saharan Africa, India and Southeast Asia, and Central America are wet, and vice versa. events; increasing aridity; and changes in rainfall—with a particularly pronounced decline in southern Africa and an increase in East Africa. The climate conditions in South Africa ranges from desert and semi-desert in the north west of the country to sub-tropical on the eastern coastline. Some attribute this decline to anthropogenic forcing, whereas others maintain that it is a feature of internal climate variability. Rain clouds gather over grain silos in the grain-producing region of the Overberg in the Western Cape. Abnormal westward extensions of ENSO patterns are a common feature of all CMIP5 models, while the warming of the Indian Ocean that happens during El Niño is not correctly reproduced. We used rainfall and temperature records between 1987 and 2016 from 46 weather stations across South Africa to calculate annual rainfall seasonality characteristics using two methods. South Africa Climate: Monthly Temp & Rainfall Chart The climate conditions in South Africa ranges from desert and semi-desert in the north west of the country to sub-tropical on the eastern coastline. Climate change, migration and urbanisation: patterns in sub-Saharan Africa November 2, 2020 9.50am EST Roman Hoffmann , Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Climate change is expected to make agricultural development in Africa more challenging. iii. In equatorial regions, the boreal spring has become drier and the boreal autumn wetter. This is illustrated by the yearly rainfall difference between Port Nolloth on the west coast, 50 mm and Richards Bay, 1 000 mm at the same latitude on the east coast. Climate change, migration and urbanisation: patterns in sub-Saharan Africa November 2, 2020 9.50am EST Roman Hoffmann , Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Want to stay up to date with breaking Geographical stories? During the period 1980 to 1998 rainfall during March-to-May was well below the long-term mean throughout most of the area from 20° N to 35° S. At the same time rainfall was above the long-term mean in most of eastern sectors within this latitude span, indicating a change in the seasonality of rainfall of a large part of Africa. Nonetheless, meteorological stations in the region which are sole sources of climatic data are only limited to single locations spatially. For the continent as a whole, another change began in the 1980s decade, with more arid conditions persisting at the continental scale until early in the twenty-first century. 2. However, other countries, such as the Congo, Nigeria and Madagascar, in turn experienced less rainfall. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies. This together with the migration of the “heat Equator” presents a rainfall pattern of considerably more rainfall over Sub-Saharan Africa. But again, he makes it clear that this does not mean we can conclude that these would be the same results as would be caused by climate change. Download : Download high-res image (194KB)Download : Download full-size image. air. Affiliations Atmospheric Science Department, University of Missouri, Columbia 65201 , See … There is also no Vitali…, Ninety years after depopulation, the Scottish islands of St Kilda…, The impacts of deforestation are wide ranging. The tip of southern Africa, along the coast, has a Mediterranean climate, with rainfall from April to September and a dry season during the rest of the year. The study was conducted by The University of Texas at Austin. Over most of South Africa, there is a definite rainfall pattern with rainfall increasing from west to east. Precipitation comes only during certain times of the year. The extreme droughts that have plagued the Sahel and eastern Africa are particularly well known. We know that this period is too short to relate it to the global warming debate.’, Trend in vegetation greenness over ten years. Rainfall generally occurs during summer (November through March), although in the southwest, around Rainfall in parks in the eastern part of the country is becoming more variable, most notably in … Using a new database of over 6,000 instances of social conflict over 20 years – the Social Conflict in Africa Database (SCAD) – it examines the effect of deviations from normal rainfall patterns on various types of conflict. Van Teeffelen, Cang Hui, Long‐term rainfall regression surfaces for the Kruger National Park, South Africa: a spatio‐temporal review of patterns from 1981 to 2015, International Journal of Climatology, 10.1002/joc.5394, 38, 5, … Precipitation decreases from north to south and increases from west to east—the reverse of precipitation patterns north of the equator. The study, co-authored by Professor Heiko Balzter of the Centre for Landscape and Climate Research at the University of Leicester, does warn of drawing conclusions from these findings about the impacts in Africa of wider climate change. Research article | 26 Jul 2016 . The story of a unique Italo-Slovenian community that came to…, Bisecting Georgia's northwestern region, the Enguri River has come to…, A study in Northern Minnesota is experimentally heating the air…, Some of the quirkiest geopolitical oddities are  Europe’s semi-independent microstates (SIMs). A recovery did occur in the Sahel, but to varying degrees across the east-west expanse of the region. Want to access Geographical on your tablet or smartphone? Website design by   Membership Magazine Publishers, Satellite data reveals that over the last decade, Africa, as a whole, has become both wetter and greener, Control and relief action in Eastern Africa and the Greater…, A fifth of the ocean floor has now been mapped,…, Tim shifts his gaze to the Blue Nile, where the…, From Terra Mater Factual Studios and Wildlife Films comes a…, Dossier: The failure of Britain’s national parks. Furthermore, understanding of the West African Monsoon and associated precipitation physics is critical in assessing the potential for cloud seeding to enhance rainfall in this region of the world. daily rainfall preliminary rainfall ! However, because rainfall in Africa is often localized—sometimes almost at the level of one farm—it's difficult to forecast accurately with technology such as satellite data, which shows larger weather patterns. Precipitation Patterns in West Africa Authors: Raymond P. Motha. The recent decline in Horn of Africa rainfall during the March–May “long rains” season has fomented drought and famine, threatening food security in an already vulnerable region. Located just south of the Sahara is a narrow semi-desert steppe (a semi-arid region) called the Sahel, while Africa's most southern areas contain both savanna plains, and its central portion contains very dense jungle (rainforest One of Africa's driest regions - the Sahel - could turn greener if the planet warms more than 2 degrees Celsius and triggers more frequent heavy rainfall, scientists said on Wednesday. In North America, on the other hand, projections show th… The unexplored consequences of wildfires reaching water, Mapping malnutrition, from undernourishment to obesity, Voices from Wuhan: why the coronavirus is spreading anger in China. The map of average rainfall over Africa annually shows a similarity to the maps that show climatic regions. The Southern African climate is affected by strong seasonal rainfall patterns; the majority of the region's annual rainfall is deposited by storms from early November to March, forming what is considered Southern Africa's wet season. In each case, the article includes the longest and most comprehensive precipitation gauge series ever published. Most of the African continent is semi-arid and hence prone to extreme variations in rainfall from year to year. If we go by the predicted climate models, then in central and eastern Africa, increased yields of 10 to 30 per cent are possible if rainfall increases and improved agricultural technologies are adopted. The new research, which is published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, is based on forecasts of rainfall in Africa that were achieved by analysing weather patterns in great detail. Hydropower: Many East African countries rely on hydropower for their electricity, a source that is vulnerable to changes in precipitation patterns. An open source agriculture, climate, poverty, and health visualization engine for Africa. Together with the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, the Institute of Electromagnetic Sensing of Environment of the National Research Council of Italy, and the Polish Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, the study analysed ten years of satellite data. A. In South Africa, moderate rains (25-50mm) were present in the southeast, heavy rain was present in the north-central region, and early-season rainfall performance has been largely good. Blue = wetter conditions, red = drier conditions (Image: 2014 A.Hoscilo, H.Balzter, E.Bartholomé, M.Boschetti, P.A.Brivio, A.Brink, M.Clerici and J.F.Pekel). Here we present an overview of the impacts of climate change projected for the Sub-Sa-haran region of the continent. The dry season in southern Africa can bring drought. Our results show significant increases in temperatures in most parks, with increases being most rapid in the arid regions of the country. ‘We know for a fact that in Africa the weather is also fluctuating on time-scales of decades – multi-decadal oscillations – and not just on the time-scale of ten years that we were able to examine.’, He also warns about problems which could arise in those countries which have seen decreasing rainfall, saying: ‘This is an issue even in the wet tropics of the Congo, where low rainfall means restrictions to ship movements on the rivers there, which are the main transport routes in the dense jungle.’. 2. Africa - Africa - Climate: A number of factors influence the climate of the African continent. The changing rainfall pattern and the associated impacts on subsistence agriculture in Laikipia East District, Kenya ... to 20% between March and November while South Africa rainfall will decrease by 5 to 15% between November and May by 2050. 2 Week Rainfall Possibility for Africa - Thursday 10 December 2020 - Saturday 26 December 2020. Vegetation–climate feedbacks modulate rainfall patterns in Africa under future climate change Minchao Wu 1, Guy Schurgers 2, Markku Rummukainen 1,3, Benjamin Smith 1, Patrick Samuelsson 4, Christer Jansson 4, Joe Siltberg 1, and Wilhelm May 3,5 Minchao Wu et al. ii. However, because rainfall in this area is often localized—sometimes almost at the level of one farm—it's difficult to forecast accurately with satellite data, which show larger weather patterns. Crop production in the Fanteakwa District is predominantly rainfed, exposing this major livelihood activity to the variability or change in rainfall pattern. These variations have had a tremendous impact on East Africa, which endured several droughts in the 1980s and 1990s. The average rainfall may not be changing. One of the more ominous indicators of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa has been the dramatic recent shifts in rainfall patterns. First, most of the continent—which extends from 35° S to about 37° N latitude—lies within the tropics. Annual rainfall is presented for each sector; the March-to-May and October–November seasons are also examined for equatorial sectors. Regions in West Africa, Central African Republic, western Cameroon and north-eastern South Africa were highlighted as benefiting most from the extra rainfall, and consequently increased vegetation, as compared to a decade previously. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Here, for the first time, we quantify observable changes in temperature and rainfall in South African national parks over the past five to ten decades. Google Scholar Funk C, Peterson P, Landsfeld M, Pedreros D, Verdin J, Shukla S, Husak G, Rowland J, Harrison L, Hoell A, Michaelsen J (2015) The … Try our in-depth dossiers that provide a comprehensive view of each topic. As a major concern to food production in Ghana, this study seeks to show the relationship between the production of major crops and rainfall distribution pattern in the Worobong Agroecological Area (WAA) relative to foo… Work on East African climate is focused on rainfall variability but is thinly spread amongst mechanisms of mean climate control, circulation relationships to rainfall variability, the role of ocean patterns (including ENSO and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)) in rainfall variability, and the representation of rainfall in regional and global models and the predictability of rainfall. Southern Africa can be divided into numerous rainfall regions, each region having a different correlation with ENSO. Climate - South Africa Average weather, temperature, rainfall, when to go, what to pack The Republic of South Africa, the southernmost African country, extends from 22° to 34° south latitude, and it's covered in large part by a plateau, which tempers the summer heat but cools the winter nights. Although towards the end of the 20th century there was a widespread trend towards more arid conditions, few significant trends are evident over the entire period of record. The researchers discovered drastically different amounts of rainfall compared to a decade earlier, with higher levels of rainfall in many areas, including large parts of the Sahel, more commonly associated with severe famines. i. Dossier: Natural capital – should we put a price on nature? Climate Prediction Center’s Africa Hazards Outlook ... Rainfall was suppressed in western Angola where rainfall is lagging behind climatology by 50-100mm early in the season (Figure 2). DAILY Recorded Rainfall Figures for South Africa ... (WXMaps) in a format customized specially for South Africa giving you a 7 day outlook on predicted weather patterns. Cloud seeding: is forcing clouds to rain the answer to combating drought? The international research team was analysing satellite images of sub-Saharan Africa from a rain dataset produced by the Climate Prediction Centre of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Sunshine and Rainfall. Some parts get too much rain, while other parts receive too little. Rainfall in parks in the western half of South Africa (from as far north as Kalahari Gemsbok and Richtersveld to the south and east at Agulhas and Garden Route) has become less variable. Some attribute this decline to anthropogenic forcing, whereas others maintain that it is a feature of internal climate variability. On the subject of the increased rainfall across many other regions of Africa, Balzter directly links the greening of the Sahel region to the ‘wetter weather’, adding that it ‘depends highly on the African monsoon’. Where possible, we draw attention to how the magnitude of these impacts varies at Even these projected increases, however, will not be sufficient to provide adequate food for Africa’s growing population. While the vegetation map of Nigeria between 1973 and 1995 forms the basis of biodiversity change analysis. Rainfall in Africa is often a matter of extremes. Regions in West Africa, Central African Republic, western Cameroon and north-eastern South Africa were highlighted as benefiting most from the extra rainfall, and consequently increased vegetation, as compared to a decade previously. It receives 4 - 6 inches of precipitation per year. Download High Resolution. Weather forecast Africa Satellite, Clouds, Astro, Sun over Africa, Middle East - Source: SAT24.com Clim Dyn 32(4):575–591 . This page includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Average Precipitation. Most of the country has warm, sunny days and cool nights. The study will be published under the name ‘A conceptual model for assessing rainfall and vegetation trends in sub-Saharan Africa from satellite data’ in the International Journal of Climatology. However, other countries, such as the Congo, Nigeria and Madagascar, in turn experienced less rainfall. January, the same as December, is a moderately hot summer month in Pretoria, South Africa, with average temperature fluctuating between 29°C (84.2°F) and 18°C (64.4°F).January is the warmest month, with an average high-temperature of 29°C (84.2°F) and an average low-temperature of 18°C (64.4°F). Weather patterns are becoming less favorable in many instances, increasing the volatility of crop and livestock yields. RAINFALL PATTERNS. Around 1968 a change to more arid conditions occurred in the Sahel and North Africa. 3.3. However, understanding the average amount of rain per rainy day and the mean duration between successive rain events aids in understanding long-term variability and patterns . Shifting rainfall patterns a growing threat to farming in sub-Saharan Africa Technology key to helping farmers respond, Irish NGO Self Help Africa says Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 06:00. The amount of heat from the sun plays a major role in determining climate. But while some…, Community trekking is the latest development to emerge from the…, Scientists are using sophisticated data modelling to predict how cities…, The most populated country of Central Asia, Uzbekistan has been…, To protect the forests that act as natural carbon reservoirs,…, Recent research finds that climate change-induced drought is having a…, The city of Calais struggles with its reputation. Sandra MacFadyen, Nick Zambatis, Astrid J. Agricultural activities follow rainfall patterns especially in tropical regions. Noteworthy is that the west-to-east rainfall gradient across the region appears to have weakened in recent decades. Also, ENSO explains only approximately 30% of the rainfall variability, which means that other factors should also be taken into account when predicting seasonal rainfall. In most of southern Africa, rainfall peaks in the austral summer/boreal winter. Southern-central Africa and Madagascar: Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The tropics rainfall variability in 13 sectors that cover most of the world the paper is designed to the... The official magazine of the world ending at 08:00 rainfall in Africa more.. Or its licensors or contributors Download high-res image ( 194KB ) Download: Download high-res image ( 194KB Download! Texas at Austin most parks, with number of factors influence the climate of the African is! 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