Rain relief for Bay, but not for dams

WHILE residents in Nelson Mandela Bay welcomed the much-needed rain at the weekend, very little fell in the catchment areas to alleviate the city’s water crisis.

Port Elizabeth weather office spokesman Garth Sampson said Port Elizabeth and Plettenberg Bay received high rainfalls of 27mm and 39mm respectively.

Sampson said catchment rainfall readings were 4mm for Joubertina, 1mm for the Kouga Dam, 5mm for Patensie, 5mm for Uitenhage and nothing for Kareedouw.

“The little bit of rain which did fall in those areas probably wouldn’t even show an increase of 1% in the dam levels but [this] should slow down consumption a little bit,” he said.

Sampson said after the rain, Bay residents were less likely to use extra water for plants and swimming pools.

According to Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality rainfall records, the Churchill Dam received 37mm, Impofu Dam 28.6mm and Loerie Dam 9.6mm.

The total combined capacity for the five dams that feed the city was at 33.27% yesterday.

Sampson said: “We experienced a very fast-moving cold front over the weekend; it came and went, which brought some rain and cold temperatures.”

Molteno recorded the coldest morning temperature yesterday at -10°C while Barkly East dropped to -9°C.

For the week ahead, Port Elizabeth weather conditions will be cloudy to partly cloudy, with temperatures averaging a minimum 10°C and a maximum 20°C.

“This is typical winter weather, mild to cool with a bit of wind picking up on Thursday,” he said.

Today, Port Elizabeth will see a minimum of 8°C and a maximum of 20°C.

Friday will be warmer in the afternoon, with an expected maximum of 22°C.

Uitenhage minimum temperatures will be 5°C today and tomorrow while maximum temperatures will rise to 24°C on Friday.

Barkly East minimum temperatures will rise to 3°C and highs will average 16°C in the week ahead.