News / National
Extremely cold weather expected across the country
30 May 2012 at 05:05hrs | Views
THIS year's winter season is set to be one of the coldest with temperatures expected to drop drastically, the Meteorological Services Department said yesterday.
Meteorological Services Department duty forecaster Mr Tichaona Zinyemba said areas expected to face low temperatures were Matopo, Gweru, Marondera and Nyanga.
He said these areas had already started recording temperatures below zero degrees Celsius at night despite the winter officially commencing in May, having maximum effect in June and July and ending in August.
"Some of the notable low ground temperatures were recorded on 24 May with Nyanga and Matopos recording minus two degrees Celsius and Chivhu registering zero degrees Celsius.
"On 25 May Nyanga and Marondera had minus three degrees Celsius while Gweru, Matopos and Wedza had zero degrees Celsius," said Mr Zinyemba.
He said on 27 May Marondera registered minus three degrees Celsius while Nyanga had minus one degree Celsius.
"Members of the public, especially the vulnerable in such areas are urged to put on warm clothing or take measures that are necessary," said Mr Zinyemba.
He said farmers were also reminded to be wary of the damage to their crops by taking necessary steps to safeguard them.
"In terms of frost occurrences, these generally favour the main watershed," said Mr Zinyemba.
He said typically during winter, the weather was characterised by cloudy and cold spells from time to time, but generally clear skies at night assist in the loss of heat energy from the ground.
"The loss of heat from the ground results in occurrence of frost," said Mr Zinyemba
Meteorological Services Department duty forecaster Mr Tichaona Zinyemba said areas expected to face low temperatures were Matopo, Gweru, Marondera and Nyanga.
He said these areas had already started recording temperatures below zero degrees Celsius at night despite the winter officially commencing in May, having maximum effect in June and July and ending in August.
"Some of the notable low ground temperatures were recorded on 24 May with Nyanga and Matopos recording minus two degrees Celsius and Chivhu registering zero degrees Celsius.
"On 25 May Nyanga and Marondera had minus three degrees Celsius while Gweru, Matopos and Wedza had zero degrees Celsius," said Mr Zinyemba.
"Members of the public, especially the vulnerable in such areas are urged to put on warm clothing or take measures that are necessary," said Mr Zinyemba.
He said farmers were also reminded to be wary of the damage to their crops by taking necessary steps to safeguard them.
"In terms of frost occurrences, these generally favour the main watershed," said Mr Zinyemba.
He said typically during winter, the weather was characterised by cloudy and cold spells from time to time, but generally clear skies at night assist in the loss of heat energy from the ground.
"The loss of heat from the ground results in occurrence of frost," said Mr Zinyemba
Source - TC
