Zambezi River Basin average rainfall

Description

Average annual rainfall across the river basin varies from 500mm in the extreme south and southwest part of the basin to more than 1 400 mm in the Upper Zambezi and Kabompo sub-basins, in the north-eastern shores of Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa in Tanzania, and in the southern border area between Malawi and Mozambique (Chenje 2000). Rainfall is greatest in the north, with an extensive area receiving over 1 000 mm, and declines towards the south, where most areas receive less than 700 mm (SADC and ZRA 2007). In general, there is only a single rainy season in the year. Rainy seasons are longer in the north and northeast, and much shorter in the southwest.