| Wet Spells under the spy-glass |
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| Written by John Olzsewski | ||||
Page 2 of 2 Nevertheless, the benchmark identity is there. There could be a wide range of such samples, taken from records, to show that variability within the benchmark range and close to that range are to be found. The variability factor is always present whenever any factor of our rainfall is considered. Surely, it will be realized that Wet Spell potential varies considerably from the relatively wetter northeast across the country to the driest parts in the west and in the south. So, what do the records show us? Not surprisingly, the wettest ranges are to be found in the northeastern parts. Andara Mission has had 53 wet spells measured across some 80 years of daily data. The longest duration was recorded from February 1 to 14, in 1978, 14-day duration with an unbroken range of falls above 10 and 25mm. By our dry standards this is a lot of water. That month had 448mm as its total. NkuruNkuru had 44 Wet Spells during a 75-year record; the maximum duration was 12 days from the end of December into January 1974. Okatana had 38 events on a 70 year record. The maximum duration is 8 days recorded twice once in January 1944 and again in December 1951. Erundu with 42 spells in its 75 year record had a nine-day maximum in February 1974. Dunroamin had 17 wet spells over 47 years of records with nine day duration in January 1978. The Windhoek Weather Office had 14 events during its 80 years, with 7 days in March 1954. Kranzplatz: had 14 wet spells across 65 years, with 9 days in February 1942 Gellap Ost had only six wet spells in 85 years with 4 days in February 1974. Lastly, Warmbad had only one wet spell in 90 years, 4 days, in March 1968. Their next best was two consecutive days in March 2000 totaling 49mm. The considerable range of Wet Spell events from the 53 at Andara down to the one at Warmbad emphasizes the considerable range of rainfall (or scarcity of rainfall) experienced across Namibia. There are several stations where a wet spell has never been recorded, even over 90 years. In the next article, I discuss the importance of Wet Days, i.e. 60mm or more in one day. |
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