Cold spell to persist: Met Office

Department has said.

Patchy drizzle, fresh winds and light rains will be experienced during this period.
Slight to moderate ground frost would also continue occurring in frost-prone areas whenever there will be clear skies.

The weather is, however, expected to warm up from July 14 although windy conditions are expected to continue.
Senior Meteorologist Mr Elisha Moyo yesterday said some stations have reported very low temperatures, which have not been reco-rded for a very long time.
“The last weeks were generally very cold with morning temperatures of less than five degrees and maximum temperatures in the lower 20s in most places.

“Moderate to severe ground frost occu-rred in most parts of the country. The coldest so far has been the week starting 20 to 26 June where very cold and dry winds swept across the country during the period.
“Records were, however, not broken although this by far represents the coldest so far for a long time,” he said.

In June this year, Matopos recorded an air minimum temperature of minus eight degrees Celsius compared to the lowest on record of minus 10,3 degrees Celsius recorded in 1980.
It also recorded a ground minimum of minus 11,2 Celsius as compared to lowest record of minus 14 degrees Celsius recorded in 1980.

Gweru recorded a ground minimum of minus 8,4 degrees Celcius in June this year as compared to its lowest on record of minus 11,1 recorded in 1968.
During the same period, Chivhu recorded a ground minimum temperature of minus 7,9 compared to the lowest record of minus 4,7 recorded in 1994.
Mr Moyo said the period ranging from July 7 to 14 this year, cloudy to overcast conditions are expected in most parts of Zimbabwe. The weather would be accompanied by patchy drizzle, fresh winds and a chance of light rain especially over south-east of Masvingo, Manicaland and Matabeleland South.

He said the above areas would be affected by incursions of cool and moist south-easterlies.
“These cloudy conditions should spread slightly further northwards but the cloud will burn off rapidly during the afternoon.

“Temperatures will remain generally subdued though during the day, with daytime maximum of around the upper teens.
“Slight to moderate ground frost will continue occurring in frost prone areas whenever there are clear skies,” he said.

Mr Moyo warned members of the public against using braziers (mbaura/imbaula) in rooms with closed windows.
He urged farmers practicing horticulture to take the necessary precautionary measures or contact their Agritex officers for advise on combating frost.

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