Recent increases in rainfall provide little relief to long-term dryness in East Africa and Hispaniola
Widespread, persistent, and heavy rainfall over the past several weeks have led to saturated ground conditions and localized flooding in several regions of West Africa. The continuation of heavy rainfall is forecast for the upcoming week, maintaining flooding risks throughout several areas in Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, western Niger, eastern Guinea and Sierra Leone.
While the recent increase in precipitation in August is expected to lead to more favorable ground conditions, a delayed onset and uneven rainfall distribution observed during the June-September season may negatively impact cropping and pastoral conditions in the region.
Despite the recent increase in rainfall, the much delayed start to the rainfall season has resulted in drought, which has severely impacted ground conditions and led to livestock death across parts of north-central and eastern Ethiopia