Widespread exceptional water deficits are forecast to emerge across northern Africa from April through June; deficits of lesser severity are forecast across Africa’s mid-section. Deficits in the Horn of Africa, DRC, and Angola are expected to downgrade to primarily moderate severity. Surpluses are expected in southeast Sudan into South Sudan, southeastern Tanzania, western Zambia, the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana, Zimbabwe, northern South Africa, and northern Madagascar. After June deficits across northern Africa are forecast to recede slightly overall, but severe to exceptional deficits are expected to emerge in southern Somalia, and moderate to severe deficits may emerge in northeast Namibia.
Africa: Water deficits across northern Africa
The extent of exceptional deficits across the African continent will diminish considerably through February, but pockets of extreme deficits will persist in eastern Ethiopia and Somalia through February and will emerge in Benin and Nigeria. Thereafter, deficits of notable severity will emerge in Niger, northern Sudan, and Egypt. Exceptional surpluses will persist through February surrounding Bangui in Central African Republic and through May around the White Nile in southeast Sudan and South Sudan.
Global Precipitation & Temperature Outlook for December 2016
The December 2016 Precipitation & Temperature Outlook indicates that many parts of South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia are forecast to be much warmer than normal. Significant dry anomalies are expected to envelope Sri Lanka. Wet anomalies are forecast for Kazakhstan, northern Mongolia, Myanmar, the Malaysian Peninsula, Western Australia, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Venezuela.
Africa: Transitioning away from exceptional deficits
The extent of exceptional deficits across southern Africa is forecast to shrink dramatically in the next few months with some modest water surplus in eastern Zambia. Across the north, exceptional deficits will also shrink but pockets will remain in eastern Ethiopia, southern Somalia, and will emerge in western Mauritania. Deficits will also persist in eastern Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Africa: Exceptional water deficits in Sub-Saharan Africa to moderate
Though the extent of exceptional water deficits in Africa is forecast to shrink from September through November, much of the continent will remain in conditions of deficit. Surpluses are forecast to persist in Burkina Faso, Northwest Province in Cameroon, southern Sudan, eastern South Sudan, and Tanzania during this period. From December through February nearly all of Africa is forecast to experience some degree of water deficit, though less severe than in prior months. Primarily moderate deficits are forecast from the northernmost countries down through the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with only mild deficits forecast in southern Africa.