| MOLOPO RIVER: Climate |
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eWISA Home | MOLOPO: MAIN INDEX | ALPHABETICAL LIST OF RIVERS | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Map of the MOLOPO River |
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| TEMPERATURE | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Maximum temperatures are experienced in January and minimum temperatures usually occur in July. (Ref 2) |
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Frost occurs in winter. (Ref 2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| RAINFALL | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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The climate of the catchment of the Upper Molopo is generally semi-arid in the east and dry in the west. The Mean Annual Precipitation (MAP) ranging between 400 and 600 in the Upper Molopo catchments. The rainfall is strongly seasonal with rainfall occurring as thunderstorms in summer. The variation in annual rainfall from the long term mean is especially pronounced in the Upper Molopo river catchments (DWAF: 1997). The average potential Mean Annual Evaporation (MAE) for the the Upper Molopo is very high. It is estimated to be as high as 2800mm, with the highest levels occurring in December (DWAF: 2001). |
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| References | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ref 1:
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa. 2004. Crocodile
(West) and Marico Water Management Area: Internal Strategic Perspective
of the Marico-Upper Molopo & Upper Ngotwane catchments. Prepared by
Goba Moahloli Keeve Steyn in association with Golder and Associates and
Tlou and Matji (Pty) Ltd. DWAF Report No. P WMA 03/000/00/0404
Ref 2: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa. 2004. Lower Vaal Water Management Area: Internal Strategic Perspective. Prepared by PDNA, WRP Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd, WMB and Kwezi-V3 on behalf of the Directorate: National Water Resource Planning. DWAF Report No P WMA 10/000/00/0304) |
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