This article needs additional citations for verification .(October 2014) |
![]() ![]() | |
Continent | Africa |
---|---|
Region | Southern Africa |
Coordinates | 20°S30°E / 20°S 30°E |
Area | Ranked 60th |
• Total | 390,757 km2 (150,872 sq mi) |
• Land | 99.00% |
• Water | 1.00% |
Coastline | 0 km (0 mi) |
Borders | 3,066 km (Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km) |
Highest point | Inyangani 2,592 m (8,504 ft) |
Lowest point | junction of the Runde and Save rivers. 162 m (531 ft) |
Longest river | Zambezi River 2,650 km |
Largest lake | Lake Kariba 7,770 km2 |
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa lying north of the Tropic of Capricorn. [1] During summer, the whole country experiences warm temperatures as a result of the sun being directly overhead. It straddles an extensive high inland plateau that drops northwards to the Zambezi valley where the border with Zambia is and similarly drops southwards to the Limpopo valley and the border with South Africa.
The country has borders with Botswana (813 km), Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa (225 km), Zambia 797 km and almost meets Namibia at its westernmost point. [2]
The climate varies markedly with altitude with the Eastern Highlands at 1,878 metres or 6,161 feet above sea level being much wetter and cooler than lower altitudes. There is a dry season, including a short cool season during the period May to September, when the whole country has very little rain. The rainy season is typically a time of heavy rainfall from November to March. The whole country is influenced by the Intertropical Convergence Zone during January. In years when it is poorly defined there is below-average rainfall and a likelihood of serious drought in the country, as happened in 1983 and 1992. When it is well defined rainfall is average or well above average, as in 1981 and 1986. Zimbabwe’s climate can be categorised into three regions, hot region (lowveld and part of the middleveld), warm region (rest of the middleveld and high veld) and the cool region (Eastern Highlands)[ citation needed ] [3] [4]
Climate data for Harare (1961–1990, extremes 1897–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 33.9 (93.0) | 35.0 (95.0) | 32.3 (90.1) | 32.0 (89.6) | 30.0 (86.0) | 27.7 (81.9) | 28.8 (83.8) | 31.0 (87.8) | 35.0 (95.0) | 36.7 (98.1) | 35.3 (95.5) | 33.5 (92.3) | 36.7 (98.1) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.0 (78.8) | 26.2 (79.2) | 25.6 (78.1) | 23.8 (74.8) | 21.8 (71.2) | 21.6 (70.9) | 24.1 (75.4) | 28.4 (83.1) | 28.8 (83.8) | 27.6 (81.7) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.5 (77.9) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 21.0 (69.8) | 20.7 (69.3) | 20.3 (68.5) | 18.8 (65.8) | 16.1 (61.0) | 13.7 (56.7) | 13.4 (56.1) | 15.5 (59.9) | 18.6 (65.5) | 20.8 (69.4) | 21.2 (70.2) | 20.9 (69.6) | 18.4 (65.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.8 (60.4) | 15.7 (60.3) | 14.5 (58.1) | 12.5 (54.5) | 9.3 (48.7) | 6.8 (44.2) | 6.5 (43.7) | 8.5 (47.3) | 11.7 (53.1) | 14.5 (58.1) | 15.5 (59.9) | 15.8 (60.4) | 12.3 (54.1) |
Record low °C (°F) | 9.6 (49.3) | 8.0 (46.4) | 7.5 (45.5) | 4.7 (40.5) | 2.8 (37.0) | 0.1 (32.2) | 0.1 (32.2) | 1.1 (34.0) | 4.1 (39.4) | 5.1 (41.2) | 6.1 (43.0) | 10.0 (50.0) | 0.1 (32.2) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 190.8 (7.51) | 176.3 (6.94) | 99.1 (3.90) | 37.2 (1.46) | 7.4 (0.29) | 1.8 (0.07) | 2.3 (0.09) | 2.9 (0.11) | 6.5 (0.26) | 40.4 (1.59) | 93.2 (3.67) | 182.7 (7.19) | 840.6 (33.09) |
Average precipitation days | 17 | 14 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 16 | 82 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 76 | 77 | 72 | 67 | 62 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 48 | 63 | 73 | 62 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 217.0 | 190.4 | 232.5 | 249.0 | 269.7 | 264.0 | 279.0 | 300.7 | 294.0 | 285.2 | 231.0 | 198.4 | 3,010.9 |
Mean daily sunshine hours | 7.0 | 6.8 | 7.5 | 8.3 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 9.0 | 9.7 | 9.8 | 9.2 | 7.7 | 6.4 | 8.2 |
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization, [5] NOAA (sun and mean temperature, 1961–1990), [6] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (humidity, 1954–1975), [7] Meteo Climat (record highs and lows) [8] |
Climate data for Bulawayo (1961-1990 normals) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 36.7 (98.1) | 34.4 (93.9) | 35.6 (96.1) | 33.0 (91.4) | 30.6 (87.1) | 28.3 (82.9) | 28.3 (82.9) | 32.2 (90.0) | 35.0 (95.0) | 36.7 (98.1) | 37.2 (99.0) | 35.2 (95.4) | 37.2 (99.0) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 27.7 (81.9) | 27.2 (81.0) | 27.1 (80.8) | 25.9 (78.6) | 24.1 (75.4) | 21.6 (70.9) | 21.5 (70.7) | 24.4 (75.9) | 27.9 (82.2) | 29.4 (84.9) | 28.7 (83.7) | 27.7 (81.9) | 26.1 (79.0) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 21.8 (71.2) | 21.2 (70.2) | 20.6 (69.1) | 18.7 (65.7) | 16.0 (60.8) | 13.7 (56.7) | 13.8 (56.8) | 16.4 (61.5) | 19.9 (67.8) | 21.6 (70.9) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.4 (70.5) | 18.9 (66.0) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16.5 (61.7) | 16.2 (61.2) | 15.3 (59.5) | 13.0 (55.4) | 9.9 (49.8) | 7.4 (45.3) | 7.2 (45.0) | 9.1 (48.4) | 12.4 (54.3) | 15.0 (59.0) | 16.0 (60.8) | 16.3 (61.3) | 12.9 (55.2) |
Record low °C (°F) | 10.0 (50.0) | 9.4 (48.9) | 8.4 (47.1) | 3.5 (38.3) | 0.0 (32.0) | −3.9 (25.0) | 0.0 (32.0) | 0.0 (32.0) | 1.4 (34.5) | 6.9 (44.4) | 7.2 (45.0) | 8.9 (48.0) | −3.9 (25.0) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 117.8 (4.64) | 104.6 (4.12) | 51.4 (2.02) | 33.3 (1.31) | 7.0 (0.28) | 2.2 (0.09) | 1.0 (0.04) | 1.4 (0.06) | 7.0 (0.28) | 38.4 (1.51) | 91.1 (3.59) | 120.3 (4.74) | 575.5 (22.66) |
Average rainy days | 10 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 51 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 69 | 71 | 70 | 62 | 56 | 54 | 48 | 43 | 41 | 43 | 55 | 63 | 56 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 244.9 | 212.8 | 251.1 | 252.0 | 279.0 | 267.0 | 288.3 | 300.7 | 288.0 | 272.8 | 237.0 | 226.3 | 3,119.9 |
Mean daily sunshine hours | 7.9 | 7.6 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 9.3 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 | 7.3 | 8.5 |
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization [9] NOAA (sun and mean temperature, 1961–1990) [10] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes and humidity) [11] |
Climate data for Mutare | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 27.6 (81.7) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.2 (77.4) | 23.7 (74.7) | 21.4 (70.5) | 21.2 (70.2) | 23.2 (73.8) | 26.1 (79.0) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.1 (80.8) | 25.3 (77.5) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.5 (63.5) | 16.3 (61.3) | 15.6 (60.1) | 13.9 (57.0) | 10.6 (51.1) | 8.0 (46.4) | 7.6 (45.7) | 9.3 (48.7) | 12.2 (54.0) | 14.6 (58.3) | 16.1 (61.0) | 16.9 (62.4) | 13.2 (55.8) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 153.5 (6.04) | 164.5 (6.48) | 88.4 (3.48) | 31.8 (1.25) | 12.4 (0.49) | 8.9 (0.35) | 5.8 (0.23) | 6.0 (0.24) | 20.2 (0.80) | 45.9 (1.81) | 86.4 (3.40) | 167.0 (6.57) | 790.8 (31.13) |
Average rainy days | 13 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 74 |
Source: World Meteorological Organization [12] |
Climate data for Hwange (1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.2 (84.6) | 28.9 (84.0) | 28.8 (83.8) | 27.9 (82.2) | 26.2 (79.2) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.1 (75.4) | 26.9 (80.4) | 30.9 (87.6) | 32.1 (89.8) | 31.7 (89.1) | 29.7 (85.5) | 28.4 (83.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 18.1 (64.6) | 17.7 (63.9) | 16.8 (62.2) | 13.4 (56.1) | 8.7 (47.7) | 4.9 (40.8) | 4.6 (40.3) | 7.2 (45.0) | 12.1 (53.8) | 16.0 (60.8) | 17.5 (63.5) | 18.0 (64.4) | 12.9 (55.2) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 145.1 (5.71) | 128.9 (5.07) | 57.1 (2.25) | 20.3 (0.80) | 2.6 (0.10) | 0.1 (0.00) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.6 (0.02) | 1.6 (0.06) | 21.4 (0.84) | 55.8 (2.20) | 126.5 (4.98) | 560.0 (22.05) |
Average rainy days | 12 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 56 |
Source: World Meteorological Organization [13] |
Climate data for Gweru (1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.8 (78.4) | 25.8 (78.4) | 24.7 (76.5) | 22.9 (73.2) | 20.6 (69.1) | 20.5 (68.9) | 23.3 (73.9) | 26.8 (80.2) | 28.3 (82.9) | 27.4 (81.3) | 26.3 (79.3) | 24.9 (76.8) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.3 (59.5) | 15.1 (59.2) | 13.8 (56.8) | 11.3 (52.3) | 7.6 (45.7) | 4.9 (40.8) | 4.5 (40.1) | 6.5 (43.7) | 10.0 (50.0) | 13.1 (55.6) | 14.5 (58.1) | 15.1 (59.2) | 11.0 (51.8) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 139.1 (5.48) | 124.8 (4.91) | 55.9 (2.20) | 29.0 (1.14) | 7.7 (0.30) | 1.9 (0.07) | 1.0 (0.04) | 1.9 (0.07) | 9.3 (0.37) | 35.1 (1.38) | 96.2 (3.79) | 159.4 (6.28) | 661.3 (26.04) |
Average rainy days | 12 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 60 |
Source: World Meteorological Organization [14] |
Much of the country is on a plateau with a higher central plateau (high veld) forming a watershed between the Zambezi and Limpopo river systems. The flattish watershed region is part of an ancient etchplain called the African Surface covers large swathes of the continent. [15] [16] While the African Surface occupy the higher ground, spurs and small interfluves a younger "post-African" surface occupy lower positions with occasional rock domes, koppies and tors protruding rolling or plain landscape. The Limpopo and the lower Zambezi valleys are broad and relatively flat plains. The eastern end of the watershed terminates in a north-south mountain spine, called the Eastern Highlands. [15] The northeast-southwest oriented central uplands have been uplifted in geologically recent times (Late Pliocene or Pleistocene) deviating the watercourse of upper Zambezi River that used to flow into the Limpopo River to the east to its current outlet at the Mozambique Channel. [17] [18] The northeast-southwest upland and watershed follows the axis of an epeirogenic flexure. [17]
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
highest point: Mount Nyangani 2,592 m [19]
Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, diamond, platinum group metals
Land use:
arable land: 10.49%
permanent crops: 0.31%
other: 89.20% (2011)
Irrigated land: 1,735 km² (2003)
Total renewable water resources: 20 km3 (2011)
Natural hazards: droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Environment — current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd – once the largest concentration of the species in the world – has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution [20]
Environment — international agreements: ↵party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements.
Hydrology: ↵The country is divided into six drainage basins. The largest are the Zambezi and the Limpopo. Western parts of Matabeleland connect to the Okavango inland drainage basin through the Nata River. Most of southern Mashonaland and adjacent parts of Masvingo drain through the Save river into the Indian Ocean. Two smaller drainage basins cover parts of Manicaland, and drain into the Indian Ocean through Mozambique. These are the Pungwe river to the north and the Buzi river to the south. Sediment transport has been studied for rivers in Zimbabwe using the HBV hydrology transport model.
Main land use type:
This is a list of the extreme points of Zimbabwe, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.
Weather hazards are conditions which are unfavorable to people and their activities that result from weather phenomena. Most of these cannot be prevented however their effects can be mitigated. Weather hazards include any naturally occurring weather condition that has the potential to cause either harm or damage to people. [22] Zimbabwe is affected by various weather hazards including droughts, floods, heat wave, lightning and wildfires over the past century. These weather hazards has affected a lot of people in Zimbabwe resulting to a number of deaths and other challenges. [23] Sixteen districts across six provinces Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Midlands and Matabeleland North in Zimbabwe have been affected by heavy rains and floods since the 2021/2022 rainy season began in October 2021. Tropical Storm Ana brought heavy rains to Zimbabwe in late-January, causing floods and damage, affecting 845 houses and 51 schools. [24]
The main weather hazards that have affected Zimbabwe include: [25]
Drought has to do with a period of abnormally dry weather which is caused little or no rainfall producing a lack of water. [27]
In Zimbabwe droughts carry many effects which include factors leading to economic struggles. Inflation rates go up as farmers undergo crop failure and loss of livestock a well as often wildfires. Due to drought the country is faced with serious water shortages as well as outrageous power cuts. [28]
To limit the effects of drought the country can make use of cloud seeding, stocking of harvest in GMBs during fruitful years and/or practice irrigation. [29]
Building and servicing dams and rivers that are no longer serving their purpose [30]
Flooding refer to an abnormal overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limits, especially over what is normally Drylands. These are caused by abnormal rainfall and cyclones. [31]
The primary effects of flooding include loss of life and damage to buildings and other structures, including bridges, sewerage systems, roadways, and canals. Floods also frequently damage power transmission and sometimes power generation. As a common after-effect of severe flooding, Zimbabwe has also faced economic hardship due to a temporary decline in tourism, rebuilding costs, or food shortages leading to price increases. [32] [28] [33]
In January 2022 the country's Department of Civil Protection (DCP) set up 394 evacuation centers in Manicaland province to deal with the impact of Cyclone Ana. This was the government's way of limiting the effects of the floods as it was noted that parts of Mutasa and Chimanimani districts were already receiving strong winds and heavy rains associated with the storm. [34] Another way of mitigating the effects of flooding is relocating people before during and after the floods and ensuring that everyone is at safe place when the cyclone hits the arear. This is seen in Zimbabwe were the authorities announced that school children from the most vulnerable areas should not go to school but stay home on the days when cyclone Freddy was expected. [35] [36]
Lightning is associated with weather patterns whereby there is a natural electrical discharge from the clouds which occurs for a very short period and it heats the ground or earth, it is usually accompanied by a bright flash and typical thunder. Lightning may damage a lot of things and may is dangerous to livelihood. [37]
Lightning is very harmful; it affects both livelihood as well as the infrastructure. A number of people have been hospitalized and some died due to the effects of lightning this is evidenced when lightning bolt struck and wounded 13 male prisoners while they were having lunch at a jail in northwestern Zimbabwe, [38] and in some arears especially game parks a number of animals have died due to lightning. [39] Lightning also has a record of destroying infrastructure, one family in Beitbridge were left stranded as they lost their home to lightning. [40]
To prevent and reduce the effects of lightning people are advised to avoid open space as well as standing under toll trees and to ensuring that buildings have lightning protection as this will help to protect the building from lightning hence minimal risk of being affected. [41]
Frost occurs when weather patterns changes causing a deposit of small white ice crystals formed on the ground, windows, cars or other open surfaces when the temperature falls below freezing [42]
In 2021 Zimbabwe Farmers Union director Paul Zakariya confirmed to herald that a number of farmers are affected by frost as he said they had received numerous reports of ground frost that had affected several crops across the Zimbabwean growers hit by frosty conditions. [43] In some areas like Matobo wear frost often hits people are always affected by frostbites as they would have been affected by the cold.
Agriculture expert Mr Ivan Craig encouraged farmers to reduce damage of crop to frost by growing crops that are less susceptible to frost in winter these are onion, peas, garlic, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot and winter cabbage among others. People who are in areas always affected by frost are encouraged to keep warm all the time to avoid developing frostbites. Farmers could also construct a wall of thatch grass around the garden or burn cow dung around the field as this will help trap frost when it comes. [44]
The geography of Mozambique consists mostly of coastal lowlands with uplands in its center and high plateaus in the northwest. There are also mountains in the western portion. The country is located on the east coast of southern Africa, directly west of the island of Madagascar. Mozambique has a tropical climate with two seasons, a wet season from October to March and a dry season from April to September.
The Limpopo River rises in South Africa and flows generally eastward through Mozambique to the Indian Ocean. The term Limpopo is derived from Rivombo (Livombo/Lebombo), a group of Tsonga settlers led by Hosi Rivombo who settled in the mountainous vicinity and named the area after their leader. The river has been called the Vhembe by local Venda communities of the area where now that name has been adopted by the South African government as its District Municipality in the north, a name that was also suggested in 2002 as a possible title for the province but was voted against. The river is approximately 1,750 km (1,090 mi) long, with a drainage basin of 415,000 km2 (160,000 sq mi) in size. The mean discharge measured over a year is 170 m3/s (6,000 cu ft/s) to 313 m3/s (11,100 cu ft/s) at its mouth. The Limpopo is the second largest African river that drains to the Indian Ocean, after the Zambezi River.
A natural disaster is the highly harmful impact on a society or community following a natural hazard event. Examples of natural hazard events include floods, droughts, earthquakes, tropical cyclones, volcanic activity, wildfires. A natural disaster can cause loss of life or damage property, and typically leaves economic damage in its wake. The severity of the damage depends on the population's disaster preparedness and on the existing infrastructure. Scholars have been saying that the term natural disaster is unsuitable and should be abandoned. Instead, the simpler term disaster could be used, while also specifying the category of hazard. A disaster is a result of a natural or human-made hazard impacting a vulnerable community. It is the combination of the hazard along with exposure of a vulnerable society that results in a disaster.
Manicaland is a province in eastern Zimbabwe. After Harare Province, it is the country's second-most populous province, with a population of 2.037 million, as of the 2022 census. After Harare and Bulawayo provinces, Manicaland is Zimbabwe's third-most densely populated province. Manicaland was one of five original provinces established in Southern Rhodesia in the early colonial period. The province endowed with country's major tourist attractions, the likes of Mutarazi Falls, Nyanga National Park and Zimbabwe's top three highest peaks. The province is divided into ten administrative subdivisions of seven rural districts and three towns/councils, including the provincial capital, Mutare. The name Manicaland is derived from one of the province's largest ethnic groups, the Manyika, who originate from the area north of the Manicaland province and as well as western Mozambique, who speak a distinct language called ChiManyika in Shona.
Kariba is a resort town in Mashonaland West province, Zimbabwe, located close to the Kariba Dam at the north-eastern end of Lake Kariba, near the Zambian border. According to the 2022 Population Census, the town had a population of 27,600.
Mashonaland is a region in northeastern Zimbabwe. It is home to nearly half of the population of Zimbabwe. The majority of the Mashonaland people are from the Shona tribe while the Zezuru and Korekore dialects are most common. Harare is the largest city followed by Chitungwiza.
This is a list of meteorology topics. The terms relate to meteorology, the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting.
The Munyati River is a river in Zimbabwe. Under the Rhodesian administration, it was officially named the Umniati, but its spelling was changed in 1983 to more closely resemble the correct Shona pronunciation.
Intense Tropical Cyclone Leon–Eline was the second longest-lived cyclone in the Indian Ocean, behind Cyclone Freddy, traveling over 11,000 km (6,800 mi) during its 29-day track through the Indian Ocean, throughout the month of February. The cyclone formed on 1 February 2000, in the Australian basin as Tropical Cyclone Leon, and was renamed Eline after crossing 90° E into the South-West Indian Ocean; there, the Météo-France office in Réunion (MFR) tracked the storm's movement and intensity. Late on 17 February, Eline made landfall near Mahanoro, Madagascar, with 10‑minute winds of 165 km/h (103 mph). The storm rapidly weakened over land, but restrengthened in the Mozambique Channel to reach peak 10‑minute winds of 185 km/h (115 mph), making it an intense tropical cyclone. On 22 February, Eline made landfall about 80 km (50 mi) south of Beira, Mozambique, near peak intensity. Eline quickly weakened over land as it moved across Southern Africa, finally dissipating over eastern Namibia on 29 February.
Articles related to Zimbabwe include:
Severe weather is any dangerous meteorological phenomenon with the potential to cause damage, serious social disruption, or loss of human life. These vary depending on the latitude, altitude, topography, and atmospheric conditions. High winds, hail, excessive precipitation, and wildfires are forms and effects, as are thunderstorms, downbursts, tornadoes, waterspouts, tropical cyclones, and extratropical cyclones. Regional and seasonal phenomena include blizzards (snowstorms), ice storms, and duststorms.
Chimanimani, originally known as Melsetter, is a town in Zimbabwe.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Zimbabwe:
Intense Tropical Cyclone Japhet was a damaging tropical cyclone that affected southeast Africa in March 2003. It developed on February 25 near the southwest coast of Madagascar, and initially moved to the northwest before turning to the southwest. With favorable conditions for development, Japhet quickly intensified in the Mozambique Channel, reaching maximum winds of 175 km/h (109 mph), sustained over 10 minutes. After stalling briefly, the cyclone turned to the northwest, weakening slightly before striking Mozambique just south of Vilankulo on March 2. Japhet slowly weakened while progressing inland, dissipating over Zambia on March 6.
Severe Tropical Storm Delfina was a damaging tropical cyclone that affected southeastern Africa in January 2003. The fourth named storm of the 2002–03 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, Delfina formed off the northwest coast of Madagascar on December 30, 2002. It quickly intensified while moving westward, becoming a strong tropical storm before hitting northeastern Mozambique on December 31. Delfina weakened while moving inland, and it was no longer classifiable as a tropical cyclone by January 1, 2003. However, its remnants moved across the country and into Malawi, later looping around and crossing back over Mozambique; the remnants of Delfina were last observed on January 9.
The 2014–2016 El Niño was the strongest El Niño event on record, with unusually warm waters developing between the coast of South America and the International Date Line. These unusually warm waters influenced the world's weather in a number of ways, which in turn significantly affected various parts of the world. These included drought conditions in Venezuela, Australia and a number of Pacific islands while significant flooding was also recorded. During the event, more tropical cyclones than normal occurred within the Pacific Ocean, while fewer than normal occurred in the Atlantic Ocean.
The 2018–2021 Southern Africa drought was a period of drought that took place in Southern Africa. The drought began in late October 2018, and negatively affected food security in the region. In mid-August 2019, the drought was classified as a level 2 Red-Class event by the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System. The alert level was reduced to the Orange-1.7 by 12 December 2019, as the new wet season had started. In September 2020, the drought was classified as a level 2 Red-Class event. The drought continued into early 2021. Beginning in October 2021, South Africa experienced above average rainfall and reservoirs refilled by early 2022.
At least 30 tropical cyclones have affected the Southern African mainland. Three southeastern African countries border the Indian Ocean – Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa. Other inland countries also experience the effects of tropical cyclones, including Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Tropical Cyclone Eloise was the strongest tropical cyclone to impact the country of Mozambique since Cyclone Kenneth in 2019 and the second of three consecutive tropical cyclones to impact Mozambique in the 2020–21 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season. The seventh tropical depression, fifth named storm and the second tropical cyclone of the season, Eloise's origins can be traced to a disturbance over the central portion of the South-West Indian Ocean basin which developed into a tropical depression on 16 January, and strengthened into a tropical storm on 17 January, though the storm had limited strength and organization. On the next day, the storm entered a more favorable environment, and it soon intensified to a severe tropical storm on 18 January. Late on 19 January, Eloise made landfall in northern Madagascar as a moderate tropical storm, bringing with it heavy rainfall and flooding. The storm traversed Madagascar and entered the Mozambique Channel in the early hours of 21 January. After moving southwestward across the Mozambique Channel for an additional 2 days, Eloise strengthened into a Category 1-equivalent cyclone, due to low wind shear and high sea surface temperatures. Early on 23 January, Eloise peaked as a Category 2-equivalent tropical cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson scale as the center of the storm began to move ashore in Mozambique. Shortly afterward, Eloise made landfall just north of Beira, Mozambique, before rapidly weakening. Subsequently, Eloise weakened into a remnant low over land on 25 January, dissipating soon afterward.
Climate change impacts are occurring in Zimbabwe. Climate change is the result of the Earth's climate undergoing long-term changes due to the release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). These gases trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming and a hotter planet. Human activities, such as the use of fossil fuels, as well as large-scale commercial agriculture and deforestation, are responsible for the release of these greenhouse gases. The country's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is very minimal.
This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.