Cyclone Kenneth looms
Cyclone Kenneth is set to bring more rains, particularly in lakeshore areas, a statement from Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (MET) has indicated.
In a statement signed by MET director Jolam Nkhokwe, the department said a deep low pressure system expected to lead to the cyclone will have no direct effect on the country’s weather pattern except when it is approaching.
He said a deep low pressure system has developed in the Indian Ocean with atmospheric value of 1 008 millibars north of Madagascar at a distance of 1 874 kilometres (km) of Nkhata Bay and is moving south-westwards.
Reads the statement: “As of today, the system is expected to deepen to a pressure value of 1 004 millibars and be situated at a distance of 1 670 km from Nkhata Bay.”
The pending cyclone is coming after Cyclone Idai hit the country in late March, barely weeks after floods affected 15 of the country’s 28 districts and killed 60 people after displacing 868 900.
The statement said by tomorrow, the pressure system is expected to further deepen the pressure value of 998 millibars when its status will change to the Cyclone Kenneth. By then, it will be at a distance of 1 222 km from Nkhata Bay.
“Currently, the deep low pressure system has no direct effect on the weather over Malawi. However, as the system approaches Malawi, it will enhance rainfall activities over the country, particularly along the lakeshore areas,” reads the statement in part.
On Thursday, the system, which will have turned into the cyclone, will be at a distance of 794 km east of Nkhata Bay with a pressure value of 996 millibars.
In the statement, the department said it is closely monitoring movement of the pressure system and its intensity which can directly or indirectly affect weather over the country.
