The abnormal rainfall at this time of the year is, according to Meteorological officials, as a result of the buildup of late rains over the years.
This was disclosed yesterday by the Acting Director of the Metrological Department, Alpha Bockarie.
He said they were expecting that the rainy season would have stopped from October (last month) and November should have been the beginning of the dry season.
He recalled that last year, the country had very little rain and so since nature has a way of adjusting itself, the theory of the greater the heat, the greater the evaporation; as such the accumulated vapour from the ocean surface which had settled as cloud, is now falling as heavy rainfall.
‘ The higher the temperature the greater the amount of sunshine which leads to large amounts of water vapour taken up in the atmosphere. He went on to explain that when that happens, the country will experience a late withdrawal of rain,’ he said.
On the effect of rain in agriculture, Bockarie said the heavy rainfall which is still being experienced at this time of the year, is going to affect farming this year to next .
He said this will not be very adverse, as some farmers would have started their farming work very early and those ones who did not start up early and now caught by the late rain will experience the affect at least during the late harvest period.
‘The very heavy rains will affect the swamp rice, as some flowers will be falling off’ he lamented.
He highlighted that the rain is good for some crops like cassava, which feeds on dew and when the rain is still coming by December, the dew will be enough to nourish the cassava.
Bockarie said rain is good in one hand and disturbing to a large extent; that is why they are trying to put up the food security early warning system, to provide information that will tell citizens about the weather beforehand.
The Acting Director said with rice those that are mature will rot because of the rain. The food security early warning system, he explained, will inform relevant bodies and stakeholders about the availability, affordability and accessibility of food in the country.
He said his department is working with other sectors to make sure that there is no shortage of food.
By Emmanuella Kallon
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