South Africa Drought Eased A little More
By Andrew Owen and Drew Lerner
Kansas City, March 10 (World Weather Inc.) – Rain was reported across South Africa’s summer crop areas once again during this past week and some locally great amounts of rain were reported. The precipitation eased drought a little 
after similar conditions occurred for a little while last month. The improvement has not ended drought, but late season crops have likely experienced some better development conditions. Early maturing grains and oilseeds are too far advanced to benefit from the rain and the moisture will be most important in restoring soil moisture and water supply for winter crop seeding and next year’s spring crop planting. Most of the recent improvements have occurred in portions of Mpumalanga, Free State, and Natal. Other production areas have been mostly dry so far this month and crops are in generally poor shape. Additional rain is expected over the next week to ten days offering a little more drought relief.
Rainfall since the beginning of March was greatest from Natal and Eastern Cape through eastern Free State and much of Mpumalanga. Moisture totals from March 1-10 ranged from 
0.75 to 2.15 inches with locally greater amounts. Rainfall in Limpopo and North West ranged from 0.35 to 1.00 inch with locally greater amounts while western Free State reported up to 0.32 inch of rain. The greatest rain fell in Gauteng where more than 4.00 inches resulted. Temperatures were generally warm until Tuesday and Wednesday when some of the greatest rain fell producing some well below average temperatures.
Topsoil moisture from Eastern Cape and much of Natal through eastern Free State and a large portion of Mpumalanga is rated adequately with a few pockets in Mpumalanga that are excessively wet due to the recent rain. Subsoil moisture in these locations is still short with the exceptions of Eastern Cape. Limpopo, North West and the remaining portions of Free State that continue to have short or very short soil moisture.
The late planted corn, cotton, soybeans and peanuts would still benefit from rain in the near future. Most of these crops can still benefit from a little rain before full maturation occurs. Rain in early planted crop areas will not likely benefit crops because of their more advanced state of development.
Rain will also be needed to bolster the soil moisture and water storage levels for winter wheat planting. Planting normally begins at the end of April and into May.
A band of showers and thunderstorms will continue to produce timely rain in portions of eastern South Africa today. Many areas will again receive enough rain to bolster soil moisture and water storage levels. Light and erratic rainfall will evolve Friday through Monday once the stronger showers come to an end. Rain amounts will often be too light to counter evaporation, though drying rates will be lowered. Another round of strong showers and thunderstorms is slated to advance over the production region Tuesday into Wednesday before light and erratic precipitation resumes next Thursday. The frequent precipitation pattern will slowly improve the moisture profile for much of the region. Rain totals for the seven-day period ending next Thursday morning will range from 0.75 to 2.50 inches with locally greater amounts. A few pockets in the northeast could receive more than 4.00 inches of rain.
Temperatures will trend near normal through the end of next week. Daytime highs will often be in the 70s and 80s with some 90s expected periodically in northern areas. Drying rates between rain events will be great enough make the progression of improving soil moisture somewhat slow, but the trend is in place.
Maturation and general fieldwork conditions will be slowed due to periodic precipitation.
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