Marthina Mutanga
NAMIBIANS yesterday experienced a full circle rainbow around the sun, called a halo, that generally symbolises that a good rainfall season is on the way.
Namibia Meteorological Services’ Chief forecaster, Odillo Kgobesti, said Lunar halos are signs that storms are nearby.
It is typically caused when there are very high, but very thin clouds.
These clouds, being so high in the sky, are made from ice crystals. The properties of the ice crystals reflect and refract light in such a way as to cause a ring around the sun.
According to Kgobesti, since high clouds typically proceed unsettled weather, it is said a halo around the sun or moon means rain or snow is on the way.
The outlook forecast is normal to above-normal rainfall in the country for the first half of the season in November and December, while normal to below-normal rainfall is predicted for January to March 2020.
“There is a 35% probability in the above-normal category, a 40% probability in the normal category and a 25% probability in the below-normal category for the period of October to December 2019,” the outlook detailed.
Above-normal rainfall refers to rain measurements falling within the wettest third of recorded rainfall amounts in the last 30 years, while below-normal is defined within the driest third of rainfall amounts in that period.
While this prediction remains the same for the Zambezi region during the second half of the season, the rest of the country can expect a 25% probability in the above-normal category, 40% probability in the normal category and 35% probability in the below-normal category.
