Africa-Press – Uganda. Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) has warned of El Nino in Uganda, a climate pattern characterised by an unusual warming of surface water and associated with heavy rainfall which may cause flooding.
This warning is contained in an August 5 update from the authority, signed by its acting executive director Bob Alex Ogwang.
“The El Nino event in Uganda is often associated with heavy (enhanced) rainfall. It should be noted that El Nino alone doesn’t translate into rainfall but rather an effect that modulates weather patterns, leading to increased rainfall over Uganda during the September, October, and December rainfall season,” the authority explained.
“In anticipation of El Nino-likely conditions, decision-makers, and the general public are advised to develop preparedness and response actions to manage the likely impacts associated with El Nino phenomenon,” the authority warned.
UNMA said they based on the information from the World Meteorological Organisation and other global climate centres reports which indicate that El Nino has been evolving since March.
“Therefore, the El Nino development is considered likely to occur and the chance that El Nino will continue through the rainfall season of September, October, November, and December is greater than 90 percent,” the agency noted.
However, UNMA, referring to past occurrences in the country, said the rainfall amounts associated with El Nino can vary significantly from one El Nino event to another.
“For instance, 1987 was an El Nino year but it did not result in heavy rainfall. Additionally, in 2015, the El Nino index was higher than in 1997 but we did not experience as much rainfall as it happened in 1997,” UNMA explained.
It continued: “The occurrence of enhanced (heavy) rainfall reaching flood levels during October to December 1997 over several places in Uganda was attributed to both El Nino and possible Indian Ocean Diapole occurring simultaneously. The interaction between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean affects the rainfall amounts and pattern in Uganda.”
UNMA promised in the update that it would keep monitoring the evolution of El Nino and issue appropriate updates and advisories to the general public.
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