The slow start of the rainfall season continued in the southern half of the region, with below average rainfall being received in many areas over the course of October and November (Figure 1, brown and yellow colours). The brown colours are indicative of larger rainfall deficits compared to normal conditions, which have intensified over the last 2 weeks of November, particularly in southern/central Angola and eastern South Africa, as indicated by the red circles in Figure 1.
The generally low rains have been associated with a delayed start of season in some areas, particularly in Angola and South Africa, where the onset of rains is forty or more days late in some cases (Figure 2, dark grey colours, circled in red). Slow and erratic onsets and delays in planting were also reported in parts of Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This delay in planting shortens the rainfall season, thereby reducing the chances for planted crops to successfully reach maturity. Despite the delayed onset in some areas, most parts of the region received sufficient rains to register an onset of rains in November (green colours Figure 2).
