Tropical Storm Fundi brought torrential rains to Madagascar.
Below-average rains deepen rainfall deficits in Angola and Namibia.
1) Since mid-December, consistent and significantly heavy rainfall has been received over southeastern Africa. In parts of southern Malawi, as well as, central and northern Mozambique, these rains have resulted in widespread flooding, extensive damage to crops, livestock and infrastructure, thousands of displaced people, and fatalities. The excess moisture also has elevated the risk for downstream river inundation along the Shire, Licungo, Zambezi, Mazoe, Pungue, and Save Rivers in the region. Above-average rain forecast for the next week will keep flooding risks elevated.
2) In late-December, a sharp reduction in seasonal precipitation has resulted in mid-seasonal dryness across several parts of southern Angola, and northern Namibia into the Caprivi Strip region. The continuation of suppressed rainfall is expected to negatively impact developing crops.
3) Several consecutive weeks of poorly distributed, suppressed rainfall has resulted in developing midseason dryness across parts of eastern Botswana, northern South Africa, central and southern Mozambique, with the largest moisture deficits in southern Zimbabwe. Continued dryness is forecast for some areas in the middle of February, and may result in deteriorating ground conditions and wilting crops in the region.
4) Abundant rains over the past thirty-days as well as the impacts from tropical disturbances in the Mozambique Channel have resulted in widespread flooding across the country which has damaged crops and infrastructure, displaced tens of thousands and increased the risk for water-borne disease outbreaks, especially in the capital of Antananarivo. Heavy rains are once again forecast for the next week which will kept flooding risks elevated.