Winter season on, says Met
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services says May 1 has marked the start of winter season characterised by chilly morning weather and clear skies.
In a statement accompanying an eight-day weather forecast from May 1 to 8, the department said south-easterly winds accompanied with rain drizzle on land and Mwera over the lake also characterises the winter season.
The department has said although the country is transitioning into winter season, the atmosphere is still responding to the 2015/16 El Niño phenomenon which is still hanging around.
“During winter season, the frequent passages of huge high pressure areas from the Atlantic Ocean into the Indian Ocean through the south east coast of the Republic of South Africa [RSA] are evident.
“The frequent passages of these huge high pressure areas along the south east coast of RSA bring into Malawi relatively cool and moist airflow from the south east,” reads part of the statement signed by the department’s director Jolamu Nkhokwe.
According to the statement, wintry conditions in the country are characterised by low day time temperature, cold nights and mornings, outbreaks of chilly and cold winds, rain showers and drizzle.
Forecasting weather from today, the statement said windy with partly cloudy and sunny conditions during the day but cold nights are expected mostly over the south and central parts of the country, while the northern areas will experience cloudy and rain drizzle particularly over high ground.
“From Thursday 5th May to Sunday 8th May another wave of chilly weather conditions associated with frequent outbreaks of rain drizzle particularly over highland, strong Mwera winds over Lake Malawi with fog in low lying areas and high grounds are expected with significant drop in temperatures across the country,” reads the statement.
As the soil is already very wet particularly in the Northern Region, any persistent locally heavy downpours during this period is expected to trigger floods in low lying areas of flood prone districts of the region, according to the statement.
Last month, the Northern Region received heavy downpours. Mzuzu City Council (MCC) declared the city a disaster zone following the incessant rains that resulted in floods in some parts, destroyed buildings and killed six people.
