All living organisms could be excused for being confused about the weather over the last week. Is it summer or winter, or has the climate been flipped upside down?
On Thursday last week we were all sitting in front of a fan or air conditioner, and by Saturday we were happy that we had not packed our winter woolies away yet.
Temperatures broke the 40°C barrier in many parts of our province, with most of the coastal belt and adjacent interior recording maximum temperatures above 35°C.
Naturally Addo, on the outskirts of our metro, stood out as a winner with a whopping maximum of 42°C. This came after a minimum of just 7°C two days earlier.
After the 42°C it was down to a maximum of 18°C and a minimum of 6°C two days later.
Similar conditions prevailed all the way from George to East London and beyond.
Many believe that this is not normal and that it is part of the global warming/climate change scenario.
Although temperatures above 35°C in East London do not often occur, its highest temperature of 42.9°C was recorded in October 1997. For the Bay it is 40.7°C in March 1965.
This is all because of the classic berg wind scenario, where we have a coastal low at the coast and air heats up as it descends from the interior towards it. Then the south-westerly blasts through and cools everything down.
It is interesting to note that under these conditions many a veld and forest fire has occurred with devastating effects.
This occurs most especially where controlled burns are done without checking the weather forecast. Hot dry conditions followed by the fanning effect of the wind is a perfect recipe for disaster.
Firefighters were kept busy fighting fires in various parts of the metro and region during these conditions last week.
The most welcome rain over the weekend was a blessing for firefighters and our ever-suffering dairy farmers, who are battling with grazing.
The dry winter has put a serious strain on the availability of suitable grazing for their herds.
Although the coastal belt received some nice rain, the Langkloof, our main catchment, received very little.
The region is lagging far behind on the total annual rainfall, being more than 100mm below long-term averages at this stage.
For once we can commend the powers to be at City Hall for slowly starting or, shall I say extending, its “Save Water” campaign.
Having just passed through the wrong side of the 60% total dam capacity mark, they are slowly reviving this campaign.
The concept of starting this drive early shows foresight as last time we hit the 9% capacity with only 3% available water (6% being dead storage) before the rain came.
We might not be so lucky next time if we consider the exponential growth of the population in the metro.
The absence of that big cut-off low event this year, which gives good inflow into the dams, must be the main reason for their decision. Total capacity has dropped by 23% from January until now.
Last year all dams, except Impofu, were either 100% full or close to the mark.
This week Churchill stood at 67%, while the mighty Kouga stood at 65%. Should the trend persist, we will be heading for a 35% drop in 12 months.
Unfortunately, if we miss a major rainfall event during the next rain season, there can be real reason for concern. Two seasons in a row and we will be back where we were pre-2023.
Yes, we all know the additional sources, but local dams are still our lifeblood, not only for the public, but also for agriculture and industry.
Although the long-time summer forecast predicts above-normal rainfall, it is statistically not the time of year that we get dam-filling rainfall.
It is also at this time of year that evaporation levels and consumption increase for a variety of reasons, including the influx of tourists, who are generally not water-wise.
So, we should all start to be water smart now, while we still have water to conserve.
This week in history:
2005: Runaway fires reported from the Grahamstown/Makana district
Dam Levels
59.98% slightly down from the previous week’s 60.5%
Impofu slightly down to 47.02%
Weather Safety Tips:
In times of extreme heat, consume plenty of liquids, not alcohol. The old and infirm should stay indoors near a fan. Do not leave pets or children unattended in a motor vehicle.
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