Decreased rains received over Ethiopia have resulted in strengthening seasonal moisture deficits.
Late surge of heavy rainfall continued over portions of Southern Africa.
1) Since late December, an unseasonable distribution of monsoonal rainfall has resulted in anomalous dryness across a broad portion of southern Africa.
Low seasonal precipitation totals and untimely dry spells has negatively affected ground conditions and is likely to lead crop reductions for several local areas in southern Angola, Namibia, Botswana,
Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa.
2) Below-average rainfall over the past several weeks has increased rainfall deficits, which have already impacted crop conditions across the bimodal region of northern Tanzania. Increased rains over northwestern Tanzania have helped to alleviate shortterm moisture deficits.
3) Extended dry spells since January have led to large rainfall deficits in northeastern Namibia. The continued below-average rain has degraded vegetation conditions further. With the rainy season approaching to an end, recovery is unlikely.
4) Below-average moisture conditions continue across several local areas of southwestern and eastcentral Ethiopia. Further delay of rainfall during April is likely to adversely affect cropping activities for several “Belg” producing areas.