Africa

Africa: Water deficits in South Africa to moderate; surpluses forecast in Tanzania

Africa: Water deficits in South Africa to moderate; surpluses forecast in Tanzania

Exceptional water deficits are forecast to diminish considerably November through January, but will continue to emerge in coastal Mauritania, western Niger, southeastern Nigeria, and southern Cameroon. Deficits in South Africa are expected to moderate but severe deficits are forecast along the Orange River and from Lesotho through Swaziland. Notable surpluses are expected in southern Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. After January, moderate to severe deficits are forecast across North Africa, mild deficits in the south, and surpluses in Tanzania.

Africa: Water deficits forecast for Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso

Africa: Water deficits forecast for Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso

Exceptional water deficits are expected to diminish considerably, leaving severe conditions across the north but relatively moderate conditions in the south. Some intense deficits are forecast for western Mauritania, southwestern Burkina Faso, the Chinko Nature Reserve in Central African Republic, southwestern Namibia, and Cape Town, South Africa. Surpluses are forecast for southeastern Sudan, northeastern South Sudan, the Niger Delta, Gabon, north-central Uganda, eastern Tanzania, Okavango Delta in Botswana, and the central border between Botswana and South Africa.

Africa: Exceptional water deficits to diminish considerably

Africa: Exceptional water deficits to diminish considerably

Overall the extent of exceptional water deficits is expected to diminish considerably September through November leaving moderate deficits in the south and extreme to exceptional deficits across the southern Sahara. Exceptional surpluses are expected to persist in southeastern Tanzania, and while those areas of surplus will moderate slightly after November, surpluses will emerge throughout the country and may be particularly intense in Dodoma Region. Except for surpluses in East Africa, primarily moderate deficits are forecast for most of the continent from November through spring next year.

Africa: Water deficits persist in Somaliland and Somalia; surpluses in Tanzania

Africa: Water deficits persist in Somaliland and Somalia; surpluses in Tanzania

The extent of exceptional water deficits is expected to diminish considerably through October – particularly in the southern half of the continent – but deficits reaching exceptional intensity are forecast from northern Mauritania through northern Sudan, and in Somaliland, Somalia, and eastern Ethiopia. A large block of exceptional surplus is forecast in eastern Tanzania, and some exceptional surplus is also expected in northern Madagascar. Overall, deficits will continue to downgrade through January 2018, while surpluses will increase in Tanzania and will emerge in Malawi, northern Mozambique, eastern Zambia, Uganda, western Kenya, and along the While Nile in South Sudan. 

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.