How is the season progressing ?
COME RAIN OR SHINE •••
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THYS GROBBELAAR SENIOR GRAIN ANALYST , SENWES GRAINLINK
RAINFALL THIS SEASON Producers and citizens alike will remember the previous season as one of the driest seasons in history . The western areas of the summer planting area were hit the hardest . Most weather prediction services in the world predicted a La Niñatype for the coming season , which put new heart into producers , since this type of season usually brings about above average rainfall and concomitant better yields . Most weather prediction services predicted that the rain would start later than normal , which was spot on . The eastern part of the summer rainfall area received good rain during November and producers could plant . However , rain stayed away in the central and western Free State . The map right and at the top reflects the rainfall situation at the end of December . The Bultfontein , Wesselsbron and Hoopstad areas received less than 50 % of the long-term average rainfall and large scale plantings could not commence . Producers were concerned and in low spirits about the possibility of another drought .
Towards the end of December producers in the western part of the summer crop area experienced severe sand storms which continued for days on end . The photograph right shows the extent of the sand storms in the Bloemfontein area . Large areas of maize , sunflower and even soybeans died and had to be replanted . Fortunately the rain came
the long-term average rainfall . The dry Western-Free State in partic-
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at the end of December and producers could replant in good time .
The rainfall situation improved dramatically during January and the map below indicates the rainfall for January 2017 in the traditional Senwes area . With the exception of a few small areas , the largest part of the area received more than 100 % of
Sand storms in the Bloemfontein area .
THE JANUARY 2017 RAINFALL AS % OF THE LONGTERM JANUARY RAINFALL
SENWES Scenario • FEB / MAR 2017 45