South experiences rainfall amid extreme cold spell

Staff Reporter

THE South not only faced another day of sub-zero temperatures but also experienced rainfall recently.

Aus in the //Kharas Region is one of the places affected by the cold, rainy conditions. Photos shared by Piet Swiegers, the owner of Klein Aus Vista, captured the southern town’s recent misty conditions and rain-covered roads. Aus has reportedly received about 20 millimetres (mm) of rain recently.

Aus is not the only place in the South that has experienced remarkably cold weather recently. Photos shared by Facebook user Martinet Dewaldt showed that residents of Farm Roukamp, situated approximately 60 kilometres (km) southwest of the Hardap Region’s Rehoboth, also experienced a particularly cold morning today, with frost covering the ground and other surfaces in the area.

The Namib Desert was also not exempt from winter’s recent brutal introduction. A striking photo shared by Facebook user Et Ross captured the frost-covered dunes in the Namib Desert near Betta Camp in the South.

The recent cold spell, however, extended beyond the South, affecting the central and eastern regions of the country as well.

In Windhoek, most areas recorded temperatures between -3°C and -4°C this morning. However, certain parts of the capital, such as the Hosea Kutako International Airport and its surrounding areas, began this week with temperatures plummeting as low as -6°C.

The Otjozondjupa Region also experienced exceptionally low temperatures, with Otjikururume and Okahandja reportedly recording minimum temperatures of -6°C and -4°C respectively this morning.
Similarly, the Omaheke Region also witnessed a cold Monday morning as Omitara recorded -3°C, while places in the Drimiopsis District recorded -5.8°C, and Farm Hippo near Gobabis reportedly recorded an astonishing -9°C.

Namibia Meteorological Services predicted that the interior parts of the country – with the exception of the North – are expected to experience extremely cold conditions during the night, extending into early Tuesday morning.

However, unlike this past weekend and today, most places are not expected to see temperatures plunge below 0°C, according to Namibia Meteorological Services’ predictions. Based on these predictions, the lowest temperatures for Tuesday are expected in the Khomas Region’s Windhoek, the Otjozondjupa Region’s Otjiwarongo, as well as the //Kharas Region’s Karasburg and Aus, which are expected to see minimum temperatures of 2°C on Tuesday.