Rainy start for 2017

Rainy start for 2017 Many Namibians celebrated the first day of 2017 by sharing happy rainfall news and photos via social media after widespread showers across the country.

Okahandja residents confirmed that the Von Bach Dam had received water, raising the level slightly.

“It is amazing,” one resident said, noting that some of the small islands that had been exposed by the dwindling water level were under water again.

“This morning, the islands are covered.”

The widespread rainfall in Namibia's interior since Saturday is expected to continue for at least two weeks, the Namibian Meteorological Service (NMS) has confirmed.

Photos and rainfall measurements shared on social media indicate that between 20mm and 40mm fell in Windhoek on 1 January, with similar measurements reported across the country on the same day.

A post on a popular Namibia rainfall group stated that 130 millimetres of rain had been measured at Farm Astra near Omitara in the east of the country.

A farm in the Karas Region reportedly received 90 millimetres of rain over the course of 1 January, official rainfall figures released by the NMS show.

Omaruru measured 39.6 millimetres of rain on 1 January, while Rundu measured more than 32 millimetres.

At Katima Mulilo, 26.6 millimetres were measured, Groot Aub received 20.4 millimetres on Sunday, while Rehoboth residents measured more than 20 millimetres. Other areas that received rain included Tsumeb (10.5mm), Outjo (9.4mm), The Von Lindequist Gate at the Etosha National Park (9mm), Nkurenkuru (11mm), Keetmanshoop (3mm), and Aroab (6.2mm).

Chief weather forecaster Odillo Kgobetsi explained that a low-pressure system at lower and mid-levels is enhancing further unstable weather conditions over Namibia, increasing rain prospects in many parts of the country.

Tropical moisture from the Congo-basin will remain dominant over Namibia between 3 and 18 January, he said, which could lead to widespread thundershowers over the next two and a half weeks.

The western, extreme north-western and south-western areas will remain dry.

Between 2 and 10 January, moderate to heavy rainfall is expected over the Namibian interior, with widespread thundershowers expected in the central and southern regions on Wednesday and Thursday this week. Scattered showers are possible in parts of western Namibia.

Between 11 and 18 January, moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to continue over the interior, with widespread thundershowers expected in the central-northern, north-eastern, central, eastern and south-eastern parts.

JANA-MARI SMITH