Portions of South Africa Get Drought Easing Rain
By Andrew Owen and Drew Lerner
Kansas City, February 19 (World Weather Inc.) – Multiple days of rainfall occurred in a part of central and southern summer crop areas in South Africa this week resulting in a net boost in topsoil moisture and improving crop conditions. Rain amounts were high enough to induce some improving conditions, but not nearly enough to fix the long-term moisture deficits. Portions of North 
West, Limpopo, and pockets in Mpumalanga missed out on the much-needed moisture. Additional showers and thunderstorms will occur over the next ten days, but their frequency and intensity will not be nearly as significant as this week’s rain.
Rainfall during the past week favored areas from Eastern Cape and western Natal through Free State to eastern fringes of North West and Mpumalanga. Moisture totals for the seven-day period ending this (Friday) morning ranged from 0.60 to 2.75 inches most often with locally greater amounts. There were also pockets in Mpumalanga that received less than 0.60 inch of rain. Limpopo and the remaining portions of North West reported little or no rain. Western Cape was also generally dry.
Topsoil moisture improved in much of the region that reported this week’s greatest rainfall. Subsoil moisture was still short to very short for much of the main production region in Free State, North West, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. Portions of Eastern Cape and Natal have adequate subsoil moisture due to timely precipitation earlier in the growing season, although these areas only produce a minimal amount of grain and oilseed. Soil moisture is still too short to support the best crop development, 
but short term improvements are likely as a result of this week’s rain.
Major production cuts for nearly crops are still expected in South Africa despite recent rainfall. The country has suffered from drought most of the growing season with conditions in December dismal. This week’s rain was the first time that such a large region experienced a general improvement in topsoil moisture. Previously, the greatest rain was more localized. The week’s rain benefited corn and soybeans more than sunseed and groundnuts, although some of these latter crops benefited, as well.
Alternating periods of light precipitation and sunshine will evolve in the main production region of South Africa during the next seven days. The frequent precipitation will help slow drying rates and could bolster topsoil moisture in a few locations. However, much of the rain will not be enough to counter evaporation. Overall, rain totals for the seven 
day period ending next Friday morning will range from 0.40 to 1.00 inch with local amounts approaching 2.00 inches in Mpumalanga.
Temperatures will trend near to above average through the end of next week. Daytime highs will warm into the 80s and lower 90s Fahrenheit most often with warmer pockets possible in North West and Limpopo. A few areas in southeastern parts of the nation will not warm much out of the 70s over a couple of days.
The seasonably warm weather and lack of significant rain will promote net drying in much of the nation. Soil moisture will likely decrease in the areas that benefited from rain this week while all other areas experience a continuation of dry or mostly dry conditions that will warrant significant relief soon. Crop stress will continue most significant in the drier areas of the west and far north, but could evolve in other areas after a period of drying evolves.
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