Rain to ease off in KZN

The Durban Weather Office has confirmed what many East Coasters have suspected; our province has received much higher rainfall over the past month compared to the same period last year.

Forecaster Sanjeev Sewnarain says nearly 146 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in Durban last month, compared to 59 millimetres in October 2011.

The last time Durban saw so much rain in October was in 2001, when 153 millimetres fell.

September 2012 was also a rainy month for Durban, with 231.8mm of rain recorded. This is around three times more than the monthly average since the year 2000.

The rainiest part of KZN has been Paddock, near Margate on the South Coast, where 227 millimetres of rain fell in October compared to 81 millimeters last year. That is more than double the average monthly rainfall for the South Coast in October.

Sewnarain says, however, the rain won't fall as heavily over the coming weeks.

"According to our long-term forecast, the conditions will subside and ease off. We can expect below average rainfall for the months from November to January," he said.

- East Coast Radio News

Latest Eastern Cape rainfall figures - 21 October 2012

Here are the latest rainfall figures in mm since Monday the 15th to Sunday 21st of October:


Source: Garth Sampson - The Weather Guru

News Latest rainfall figures for Algoa Country

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality says its keeping a close eye on all supply dams which are overflowing as a result of heavy rain over the past 24 hours.

Spokesperson, Kupido Baron, says they are working with the Department of Water Affairs in monitoring the dams.

He says at this stage there are no areas in any danger, however they will continue to monitor the situation closely.

The PE weather office says the system that brought all the rain has since moved over the Wild Coast.

Port Alfred was one of the hardest hit areas with more than 165mm of rain measured up until eight o'clock on Thursday morning.

Other significant falls were measured in Addo where 98.8mm fell, Uitenhage, 64.8 mm, Grahamstown, 57.8mm, East London 42mm and the Third Avenue dip, which is still closed, 62mm.

Here are some other figures:

Bird Island, 61.8mm

Cape St Francis, 33.4mm

Cradock ,7.0mm

Darlington Dam, 15.8mm

Fort Beauafort, 9.0mm

Grahamstown, 57.8mm

Coega, 95.4mm

Patensie, 12.6mm

Port Alfred, 165.4mm

Pe Coega Lower River, 92.6mm

Pe Coega Upper River, 74.0mm

Pe Airport, 59.0mm

Chettty, 51.6mm

Lovermore heights, 46.2mm

Uitenhage, 64.8mm

Third Avenue dip, 62.0mm

East London, 42.0mm

Bisho, 25.4mm

Barkley East, 26mm

- AlgoaFM

George: Garden Route Dam and rainfall update

The Garden Route Dam. Photo: Alida de Beer

GEORGE NEWS - A sudden thunder storm late yesterday afternoon caused a quick downpour of 16,2mm of rain.

It was expected to give the level of the Garden Route Dam, which had stood at 94% before, a little upward nudge.

According to the George Weather Office, they recorded a total of 39,8mm from the beginning of this month and 20,2mm in September.

Civil Engineering Chief, Harold Basson said the water supply situation in George is stable.

Georgians use an average of 25 megalitres of water per day, which is still less than before the drought of 2009.

- George Herald

Latest rainfall figures 8am to 8.30pm - 14 July 2012

Rainfall figures from 8am to 8.30pm Saturday 14 July 2012

PE Airport - 53mm (of which 20mm fell in one hour)
Chetty - 75mm
Klipplaat - 78mm
Third Ave - 103mm
Darlington - 29mm
Plett - 31mm
Joubertina - 112mm (in last hour!!)
Patensie - 41mm
Willowmore - 57mm
Stormriver - 64mm
Graaff-Reinet - 32mm
Uitenhage - 52mm

-- Garth Sampson

Boere verwelkom Junie se reën

'n Reënboog en 'n goeie reënbui. Foto: THEUNS PRINSLOO

Welkome reën het in die eerste week van Junie wydverspreid oor die winterreëngebied geval.

Boere sê ná ’n warm en droë Mei was die reën wat in Junie geval het “net betyds”. Mnr. Pieter Beukes van die plaas Klipheuwel buite Caledon sê hulle het 42 mm reën gekry nadat dit redelik droog was in Mei. Hy sê alle gesaaides het goed opgekom en hulle het min probleme met plae. Die reën sal ook die weiding ’n hupstoot gee.

“Die reën was soos manna uit die hemel, want die graan het al begin swaar trek.” Mnr. N.D. Fick van die plaas Pofadderskloof buite Napier sê die reën was baie welkom. Die weiding “sal nou begin bykom”. “Die graan wat vroeg gesaai is, het goed opgekom, maar dit wat in Mei se droogte moes opkom, was stadig.”

Ook in die Riversdal-omgewing is goeie reën gemeet. Aangesien hulle sulke goeie reën voor die planttyd gekry het en goeie vogbewaringspraktyke toepas, was min reën in Mei daar nie so ’n groot probleem nie. Volgens mnr. Jan-Hendrik Joubert van die Joubert-boerdery het hulle 40 mm reën gemeet. Boere in die Swartland sê die reën was net betyds om ’n ramp af te weer.

Keerpunt in die seisoen
Mnr. Hannes Eksteen van die plaas Melkbosfontein, Piketberg, het 58 mm reën gemeet, maar net 26 mm op die plaas wat hy by Koringberg het. Hy beskou die reën as ’n keerpunt in die seisoen. Mnr. Pierre Heydenrych, wat buite Vredenburg boer, sê die seisoen het vanjaar daar nie baie goed begin nie, maar die 25 mm tot 40 mm reën wat hulle vroeg Junie gekry het, sal baie help.

“Die seisoen het laat begin. Die graan het nie baie goed opgekom nie en die weidings is nie te goed nie.” Hy sê wat nou belangrik is, is om gou weer opvolgreën te kry. “Die graan moenie nou nog ’n terugslag kry nie.” Buite Malmesbury is mnr. Truter de Kock van die landgoed De Grendel dankbaar dat die 40 mm tot 70 mm reën wat in sy omgewing gemeet is, “mooi sag geval het”. Volgens hom lyk die seisoen belowend.

Wisselvallig, maar goed
Verder noord in die winterreëngebied het dit wisselvallig, maar goed, gereën. Mnr. Jan Brand van die plaas Brakfontein, Clanwilliam, het 37 mm gemeet, terwyl van sy bure tot 65 mm gemeet het. Die reën het goeie toestande geskep om rooibostee te begin plant.

In Namakwaland was die reënval baie wisselvallig. In die suide het boere sowat 15 gemeet, by Garies en omstreke 20 mm tot 30 mm en by Kamieskroon is tot 70 mm gemeet. Op plase in die Kamiesberg het dit selfs meer gereën. Boere op die kommunale grond by Komaggas het 30 mm reën gekry.

- Landbou.com

Second lowest rainfall in May for Heiderand Mossel Bay since 2006

Images: Johan van Aarde (Click on images or larger view.)

SAWDOS: The second lowest rainfall in May for Heiderand Mossel Bay has been recorded since 2006. Only 9 mm rain fell in Heiderand, Mossel Bay for May 2012  where as 108 mm rain was recorded in May 2011.  The lowest rainfall for May (2006) was 7 mm recorded in 2009.

Rainfall Accumulation Image: East Coat of South Africa and Mozambique 5 March 2012

Image: Google Earth (Click on image for larger view.)

This is a screenshot of 72-hours of rainfall accumulation, as per TRMM - Obs. Bernardine Altenroxel