The National Institute of Meteorology (INAM) is forecasting moderate to heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorms and winds with gusts of up to 125 Km/h, starting this Sunday, in the Centre and, over the next few days, in the South of the country.
Expected evolution of the storm’s path over the next few days.
The tropical disturbance will cause intense rainfall in the Centre region as of this Sunday, continuing its route from Inhambane towards Gaza on Monday and its effects are expected to be felt in the country’s capital as of Tuesday. The forecast is for heavy rain, accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms.
Moderate tropical storm status could be reached as early as Sunday night, before reaching landfall over Mozambique on Tuesday morning as a severe tropical storm with winds of around 85 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 125 kilometres per hour, accompanied by heavy rain.
The storm is expected to come ashore via Inhambane, with its effects being felt throughout the centre of the country, and then move southwards over the following days, with further intensification not ruled out until next Thursday, when it will again move out to the ocean via Xai Xai.
According to Manuel Francisco, a meteorologist at the National Meteorological Institute, as a result of the tropical disturbance, the system will cause periodic rainfall that could reach over 100 millimetres per 24 hours and the winds may not be very strong.
The weather phenomenon will cause sea turbulence with waves up to four metres high, which is why INAM recommends taking precautionary measures in coastal areas.
You can read INAM’s full communication here:
Mozambique is considered one of the countries in the world most severely affected by climate change, facing cyclical flooding and tropical cyclones during the rainy season, which runs from October to April.
The 2018-19 rainy season was one of the most severe on record: 714 people died, including 648 victims of cyclones Idai and Kenneth, two of the biggest ever to hit the country.
