Meteosat satellite images show heavy rains falling over most of Somalia during the third dekad of April. Particularly heavy rainfall was recorded in Bari, Nugal, most of Mudug, Galgadud, Hiran and Bay regions. Rainfall was also good to heavy in most of Middle Shabelle and Lower Shabelle, the eastern parts of Bakol, and in the north-western regions of Somalia.

Light to moderate rains fell over Middle Juba and parts of the Lower Juba, Bakol, Mudug and Awdal regions. Meteosat did not record any rainfall in most of the Gedo region. Recent reports from the field fully substantiate Meteosat rainfall estimates in all of Somalia, with the exception of the Gedo region where fairly good rainfall was reported on 23, 29 and 30 April 2000.

A comparison between actual and normal rainfall for this time of year shows somewhat more to much more than normal rainfall in most of the central and northern regions of Somalia. Slightly less than normal rains fell over parts of the Lower Juba, Middle Juba, Lower Shabelle, Bay, Gedo and Bakol regions. According to Meteosat satellite imagery, rainfall was much less than normal in most of the Gedo region and parts of Bakol.

Heavy rainfall has also been confirmed over the south-eastern highlands of Ethiopia during the dekad. These rains have already drained into the Juba and Shabelle Rivers. In fact, the first heavy flows of both rivers were recorded in Belet Weyne (Hiran) and Luuq (Gedo) at the beginning of May. If heavy rains continue in the Ethiopian highlands, floods could become a possibility.

Following the relatively good rains which have fallen over southern Somalia since the beginning of April, satellite imagery shows light to medium vegetation emerging in parts of the Lower Juba, Middle Juba and Bay regions. Vegetative conditions remained virtually dry in the rest of Somalia. Compared to the previous dekad, there has been a slight improvement in vegetation throughout Bakol and in parts of the Bay and Lower Juba regions.