Above-average rainfall forecast for Greater Horn of Africa in June-September-Xinhua

Above-average rainfall forecast for Greater Horn of Africa in June-September

Source: Xinhua| 2025-05-21 21:51:15|Editor: huaxia

NAIROBI, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) region is forecast to experience above-average rainfall between June and September, according to the Climate Prediction and Applications Center (ICPAC) under the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African regional bloc.

In its latest forecast released on Tuesday night, ICPAC projects a likely normal onset of rains across most parts of the region, with some countries anticipating an earlier start than usual. Traditionally a dry season, this period has experienced weather disruptions in recent years due to climate change.

"There is a 55 percent probability of above-normal rainfall over central Sudan, eastern South Sudan, northern and southwestern Ethiopia, western Kenya, and eastern Uganda," ICPAC said. Wetter-than-average conditions are also expected in western Uganda, South Sudan, southern Sudan, Djibouti, and western Eritrea.

Conversely, southern GHA countries, including Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi, are forecasted to remain mostly dry during this period.

Temperatures are predicted to be warmer than average across much of the region, particularly in Ethiopia, Somalia, eastern Kenya, and northern Sudan, said ICPAC.

Mohamed Abdi Ware, deputy executive secretary of IGAD, emphasized the urgency of collective regional action, citing unprecedented climate extremes such as droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall patterns that threaten food security, water resources, and livelihoods.

Ware urged the institutionalization of climate services across GHA countries and the enhancement of cross-border, multi-sector collaboration to integrate climate risk management into all levels of decision-making.

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