The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has forecasted thunderstorms for Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South provinces on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
MSD head of forecasting James Ngoma said parts of Bulawayo, Tsholotsho, Lupane and Gwanda should expect heavier downpours. He said:
All three provinces, Matabeleland North, South and Bulawayo will be affected by thunderstorms and also parts of Midlands provinces.
We are expecting it for Tuesday into Wednesday and then as we get further into the week it becomes less.
It has been rather dry and we are expecting heavy downpours in places, especially parts of Bulawayo, Tsholotsho district and parts of Lupane and Gwanda.
But because it has been dry for the past few weeks, we don’t expect much in terms of flash flooding, but more in terms of heavy rains.
These are normal periodic rains that we get towards the end of the season and as we get cloud bands coming in.
At the beginning of the season, we get these cloud bands and at the end, we get them also.
They are coming from Botswana into the western parts of the country, spreading eastwards to the rest of the country.
In its weather forecast for Thursday, the MSD said localised heavy rains exceeding 30mm are probable, especially over Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Bulawayo Metropolitan and northern parts of Midlands, as well as northern districts of Manicaland Province.
On Monday, parts of Harare received significant amounts of rainfall: 50mm (Royal Harare Golf Club), 36mm (Harare, Belvedere), 29mm (Harare, Kutsaga), 26mm (Harare, Logan Park).