GEORGE NEWS - George has experienced above-average rainfall every month this year so far, apart from April that was about on par with the average, and August that was below average.
According to Robin-Lee Batties, Cape Town-based client liaison officer of the SA Weather Service (SAWS), the annual total to date measured at George Airport also exceeds the long-term accumulation total of 650,4mm.
The above-average rainfall is expected to last through to December, according to the SAWS seasonal climate watch for September to January.
Batties said May was a record month for all the months of May over the last 30 years with a total of 169,5mm, which is well above the average.
"The George Airport (George WO) has records from 1993 to date, thus the average was calculated over a 30-year period."
The rainfall total for September was 89mm, compared with the average of 49,4mm. At Witfontein, 119mm was measured for September.
From the beginning of October to date, 37mm was measured. Most of this fell on Thursday 5 October (15,6mm), Friday 6 October (7,8mm) and Saturday 7 October (13,4mm).
Asked what caused the above-average showers, Batties said although we are currently in an El Niño year, it mostly affects the summer rainfall areas.
"El Niño has historically been associated with record heat temperatures and droughts in summer rainfall regions of Southern Africa. The higher rainfall this year can be linked to other phenomena and further studies need to be done to confirm this."
According to the SAWS seasonal outlook for September to January, current global forecasts indicate a great deal of uncertainty for the typical drier conditions that South Africa experiences during an El Niño.
According to the outlook, above-normal rainfall for most of the country is being forecast during mid-spring (Sept-Oct-Nov) and late spring (Oct-Nov-Dec). For early summer (Nov-Dec-Jan), below-normal rainfall over the central parts of the country, and above-normal rainfall for the north-east is being predicted.
Above-normal minimum and maximum temperatures are expected countrywide from September to January, according to the SAWS.
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
