Climate

Issued: 18 June 2010

Rainfall during Gu season

2010 Gu rainfall began in early April following unseasonal rains that fell towards the end of the Jilaal (February-March) season. The Gu rains were of various intensities, duration and coverage in most parts of the country with normal to above normal performance throughout the season.

In the North, substantial and well distributed rains were received in most parts of Awdal, W. Galbeed and Toghdeer rgions, while moderate precipitation fell in Nugal valley, Sanag and western parts of Sool regions. Similarly, parts of Golis and Hawd zone of Togdheer have received moderate rains. Heavy precipitation also fell in Alula, Qardho and Bargal towns of Bari region during the second dekad of May. However, rains were sporadic and localized in pockets of Hawd of Togdheer, Gagaab pastoral and Coastal Deeh. Compared to the long term average, the rainfall in March-May period was 80 to 300 percent higher in most of the North, except in Coastal Deeh and parts of Sanaag.

In most parts of central regions the rainfall was between 80 and 180 percent of normal levels. Heavy rainfall with good intensity and duration was received in Mudug (Galkayo, Galdogob) and Galgadud (Dhusamareb, Abudwak and Adado districts). By livelihood zones, the moderate precipitation was observed in most parts in Addun pastoral of Hobyo and below normal rains fell in parts of the Coastal Deeh and pockets of Cowpea Belt. The rainfall was average to above average in the remaining areas.

In the South, significant rainfall with good coverage and distribution was received in most of Bay, Shabelle and Gedo regions, parts of Bakool and the Juba regions, as well as most parts of Hawd pastoral of Hiran region. The areas with scattered and low intensity precipitation include the agropastoral zones of Sakow and Buale districts (Middle Juba), as well as Coastal Deeh of Adale district (Middle Shabelle). The Gu rainfall in April-May period was 120 to over 300 percent of the long term average.

Due to good rainfall performance, the vegetation conditions are also normal to above normal in most parts of Somalia for this time of the year, as estimated by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for the first dekad of June.

Flood update

As a result of increased rainfall in Shabelle and Juba river basins in Somalia and the Ethiopian highlands, river flooding in southern parts of the country has been observed. Severe floods affected the districts of Beletweyn, Jalalaqsi and Buloburte (Hiran), Kurtunwarey (Lower Shabele), Jowhar (Middle Shabelle), Buale, Sakow and Jilib (Middle Juba). In Lower Juba region, particularly Jamame district, floods swamped large tracts of farmland. In the Northwest, heavy precipitation during the first week of March resulted in flash floods in W.Galbeed and Awdal regions. In the Northeast, a tropical storm developed in the northern Indian Ocean causing floods, mainly in Alula and Ishkushuban (Bargal town) districts in May.