GHACOF53: Poor performance of MAM rain season blamed on cyclones

By Andrew Kaggwa, NECJOGHA

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania

The March to May (MAM) rain season performed badly because of the effect of two cyclones coming after one another.

This was said by Paulino Omay a climatologist with the IGAD Climate predication Application Centre (ICPAC) during the Fifty Third Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF53) which started today August 26 at Hyatt Regency Hotel, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and ends on Wednesday August 28^{th .}

“Cyclone Idai hit in March and was followed by Cyclone Kenneth in April and both of these affected the MAM rainfall season,” Omay told over 200 participants attending the forum.

The theme for GHACOF 53 is “Early warning for Early Action in Support of Climate Resilience” and has brought together climate scientists, researchers, users from key socio-economic sectors, governmental and non-governmental organizations, development partners, decision-makers, media and civil society stakeholders among others.

GHACOF53 is organized by ICPAC in collaboration with the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and partners.

The Greater Horn of Africa region comprises Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

However, Omay who was backed by a colleague from ICPAC, Anthony Mwantesi said MAM was wetter than the observation. He also said the forecast had a 60% hit rate implying that 60% of what was forecast came out.

The forum was opened by the Tanzanian Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, Isack Kamwelwe.

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