La Nina To Cause More Rains In Ghana

Ghana’s current experience of heavy rainfall may continue well into February 2011 as a result of a current global weather phenomenon called La Nina, a senior forecaster has predicted. Togbui Gbebie Fiamekor I, Deputy Officer at the Ghana Meteorological Agency at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra told the Ghana News Agency that the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has indicated that the phenomenon, well established over the equatorial pacific, causes the sea surface temperature over the central and eastern pacific to be cooler than normal. He said the condition typically results in extreme weather conditions all over the world.He said the West African coast had more rainfall during the La Nina period than usual, adding that the heavy rainfall the country experienced last Wednesday, October 20th, 2010, was characteristic of the effects of La Nina. Togbui Fiamekor I said it was worth noting however that the convective zone (the outer most layer of the solar interior) or the area within the atmosphere, which precipitated rainfall, was shifting towards the coast whilst the northeasterly wind flow from the Sahara was rapidly invading southward within the country. He said since the north-easterly winds were responsible for dry weather conditions, it was likely that towards the end of this month, some parts of Northern Ghana would be experiencing harmattan conditions. The senior forecaster said, meanwhile areas that could experience rainfall also kept shifting towards the coastal areas of the country in accordance with the movement of the convective zone. He stressed that whilst the actual minor rainy season was tapering off to an end, the country could experience erratic rainfall until the first quarter of February, 2011. Giving some rainfall statistics, Torgbui Fiamekor I, said for the October 20th downpour, Atebubu in the Brong-Ahafo region recorded 122.1 millimeters (mm), Sunyani-46.4mm, Akuse-46.1mm and Accra-Airport-46.2mm.The rest were Asamankese-42.4mm, Dorma Ahenkro-41.7 mm and Nkokor-40.8mm, adding that all the rest were below 40.0 mm. The October 20th rains caused extensive flooding and some deaths in certain parts of the country.