2022 sixth wettest year since 1981

MBABANE – The year 2022 was the sixth wettest year since 1981, recording over 1 042.46mm average rainfall in the entire country.

The annual average rainfall in the Kingdom of Eswatini is 934mm.

The year 2022 was the third consecutive year occasioned by the presence of a La Niña event. This had an impact on the rainfall patterns in the country.

A La Niña event usually signals above average rainfall for the entire country. This was the case for almost all the months in the year 2022.

Average

This is according to the State of the Climate Eswatini, 2022 Report. In a monthly average rainfall, Eswatini collected around 1 100mm.

The rainfall was a result of the third year of a consecutive La Nina episode and was well distributed, spatially and temporary, with the entire country reporting more than 100 per cent of the annual long-term mean (LTM). The Highveld received the most rainfall with Mbabane receiving over 1650mm. This was 300mm more rainfall received than in a normal year (1981 to 2010 average). Areas which received between 3mm and 100mm above normal were Ngwempisi, Pigg’s Peak, Mananga and Big Bend.

Meanwhile, the report further mentions that the period of January, February and March last year was characterised by average rainfall, for most reporting stations.

2022 TOTAL MONTHLY RAINFALL Pressure

LTM

Only Matsapha, Mbabane and Pigg’s Peak reported above normal rainfall, while the rest of the stations in the country reported below normal rainfall. In April, May and June, all stations in the country reported above average rainfall in this period.

Anumber of cut-off low pressure systems were a major contributor to the total winter rainfall and summer rainfall areas, were dominating the weather around this period.

The months of July, August and September which fall under the late winter period were relatively drier than normal. Only some stations located in the Lowveld of Eswatini and the Lubombo Plateau reported above average rainfall, including Mhlume and Siteki. The rest of the country reported normal to below normal rainfall.

Early summer; October, November and December were characterised by normal to above normal rainfall for most of the rainfall stations in the country. Most of this rainfall was observed in the month of December. It was reported that only Mananga and Tikhuba had rainfall totalling below their LTM.

The spread over time of total rainfall in the year did not show a consistent pattern.

A total of seven out of the 12 months in a year reported above average rainfall. Exceptional months which received far more than normal rainfall were April, May and December.

Rainfall

The months of April and May 2022 reported the highest rainfall since 1981, while December was the third wettest in the same period. Mid-winter was relatively drier than normal.

According to the report, most of the winter months were drier than normal, but April and May were the wettest months. Temperatures in the reporting year were cooler in most months.

The report states that severe weather events were reported towards the end of the year, particularly in November and December, where more than 200 households were affected. Most of these were affected by severe thunderstorms and hailstorms. The roads infrastructure was also badly affected by the rains.