Africa: Water deficits forecast to emerge in Botswana, NE Namibia

Africa: Water deficits forecast to emerge in Botswana, NE Namibia

The extent of exceptional water deficits is expected to diminish considerably after September, though deficits of varying severity will remain in the forecast and will likely be more severe in the northern half of the continent. In the near-term, July through September, severe to exceptional deficits are forecast in the desert regions of the northern nations, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, northern Niger, and northern Sudan; and also in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Exceptional deficits will retreat in southern Namibia during this period but will emerge in the northeastern portion of the country, eastward into neighboring Botswana and across the border into South Africa. Exceptional surpluses are forecast to continue in eastern Tanzania though September but will retreat to the coast by December.

Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Water deficits in Cambodia and Mekong Delta

Southeast Asia & the Pacific: Water deficits in Cambodia and Mekong Delta

The July through September forecast shows the near absence of widespread surpluses observed in prior months. However, exceptional surpluses are forecast for western Myanmar; northern Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Thailand; the extreme southeastern region of Sulawesi; and Flores Island in Indonesia. Severe to exceptional deficits are indicated in much of Cambodia, in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, and in central Papua New Guinea. In the October-December timeframe moderate deficits are indicated in many parts of the region, and thereafter deficits in Southeast Asia may intensity.

South America: Exceptional water deficits in Brazil forecast to retreat to the north after September

South America: Exceptional water deficits in Brazil forecast to retreat to the north after September

Recently observed conditions across the whole of South America are expected to persist through September with a slight decrease in the extent of exceptional water deficits in much of Brazil north of Rio de Janeiro. Surpluses in eastern Paraguay and southern Brazil should transition to near-normal conditions during this period, but exceptional surpluses are expected to persist in La Pampa and Buenos Aires Provinces in Argentina. After September conditions are forecast to improve across the continent though exceptional water deficits will persist in Amapá and northern Pará, Brazil and in nearby northern regions.

South Asia: Water deficits forecast for Madhya Pradesh through Chhattisgarh

South Asia: Water deficits forecast for Madhya Pradesh through Chhattisgarh

The forecast through September indicates the emergence of moderate to extreme water deficits throughout much of India, which may be most intense from Madhya Pradesh to Odisha, and from southern Maharashtra down through Karnataka into Tamil Nadu. Severe to exceptional deficits are expected to persist in southwestern Afghanistan. Surpluses are forecast east of Kabul, Afghanistan, along the Indus River north of Islamabad, northeastern Jammu and Kashmir, along the Gandaki River in Nepal, and in Bangladesh. From October through December primarily moderate deficits are forecast for India’s northern half, and near-normal conditions in the south. In early 2018 intense deficits may develop in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Middle East: Widespread intense deficits persist on the Arabian Peninsula

Middle East: Widespread intense deficits persist on the Arabian Peninsula

Widespread intense water deficits are forecast for the Arabian Peninsula through September, gradually diminishing in extent and severity thereafter. From July through September exceptional deficits will persist across central Saudi Arabia, in southern Iraq, and in Lebanon, and severe to extreme deficits are forecast for Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Iraq west of the Euphrates, and North Khorasan, Iran. Surpluses in Fars and near Tehran, Iran will transition to conditions of both deficit and surplus, receding by early next year. Surpluses along the northern Iran/Iraq border will persist through December, and a pocket of exceptional surplus in central Oman will persist through March 2018.