Heavy rain with lightning, strong winds and hails are expected over much of the country from Sunday to Thursday, with the risk of flash floods high in some areas, the Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has said.
In a statement, MSD said a cloud system from Botswana will initially cover the southern half of Zimbabwe before drifting across the country into the Mashonaland provinces. The statement read:
From Sunday 29 November, scattered thunderstorms are expected across the country with heavy rainfall (in excess of 30 mm; 24 hours) in some places.
Thes storms which are starting off in Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands, Masvingo and Bulawayo Metropolitan as moisture drifts in from a cloud system over Botswana accompanied by strong winds as well as lightning and possibly hails.
Similar conditions should spread north-eastward to affect all Mashonaland provinces as well as Harare Metropolitan from Tuesday 1 December to Thursday 3 December.
The Meteorological Services Department will continue monitoring and issue updates as the system progresses.
Zimbabwe is expected to receive higher-than-average rainfall in the 2020-2021 summer cropping season.
According to the Global Agricultural Geo-Monitoring Initiative’s global outlook report, the country has great chances of La Nina, a climatic phenomenon associated with heavy rains.