Principle 4: Climate
Based on the historical average, Filipe would normally
allow the water level behind the dam to come down to 40% just before the
rainy season begins, anticipating ample opportunity to fill it up as the
rainy season progresses (see animation
of the annual cycle of rainfall in the region). This year, the meeting
of the regional Meteorological Services (the Southern African Regional
Climate Outlook Forum, SARCOF) has issued a consensus
seasonal rainfall forecast indicating that over most of the Zambezi
watershed, probabilities are enhanced for normal to below normal rainfall.
Toward the southern part of the watershed, chances for normal rainfall
increase.
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