Tanzania braces for heavy rain, thunderstorms in 15 regions

Dar es Salaam. Heavy rain is expected to affect parts of 15 regions over the next 24 hours, starting at 9 PM on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, according to the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA).

The regions likely to be impacted include Kagera, Geita, Kigoma, Tabora, Katavi, Morogoro, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Iringa, Songwe, Njombe, Lindi, Mtwara, Rukwa, and Mbeya.

In a statement released on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, TMA indicated that these areas will experience moderate cloud cover, heavy rain, thunderstorms, and occasional sunshine.

The statement also highlighted that the islands of Unguja and Pemba, as well as the regions of Singida, Dodoma, Dar es Salaam, Tanga, the northern part of Morogoro, Arusha, Manyara, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Simiyu, and the Coast region, including Mafia Islands, will experience moderate cloud cover and intervals of sunshine.

“The coastal winds are expected to reach speeds of 30 kilometres per hour along the coastline. Winds will come from the northeast on the Northern Coast and the north on the Southern Coast, while moderate waves are expected at sea,” the statement said.

This forecast follows a statement issued by TMA on February 14, 2025, attributing the recent surge in temperatures across the country to the movement of the overhead sun and ongoing dry spells.

The elevated temperatures, particularly in regions that typically experience two rainy seasons annually, have become increasingly noticeable in recent months.

TMA weather analyst Ms Joyce Mwakwata explained that the rise in temperatures is due to the southward movement of the overhead sun, coupled with a reduction in rainfall across many areas.

The overhead sun reaches its peak at the end of November as it moves south toward the Tropic of Capricorn, and again in February when it shifts northward toward the Tropic of Cancer.

“The overhead sun increases temperatures because the Earth’s surface in the affected regions is closer to the sun than in other areas,” explained Ms Mwakwata.

On February 5, 2025, the Mlingano weather station in Tanga recorded a temperature of 36.0°C, which is 2.1°C above the long-term average for February.

Other areas also saw similar increases, with Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam recording 35.0°C, up by 2.2°C, and Tanga station reporting 35.1°C, a rise of 2.3°C.

Kibaha reached 35.8°C on February 10, up by 3.0°C, while Kilimanjaro recorded 34.3°C on February 9, an increase of 0.6°C.

Ms Mwakwata further noted that such high temperatures have not been observed in the country for some time.

She also noted that heightened humidity, especially in coastal areas, has intensified the perceived heat.