December is all but gone and so is any major rainfall for the area – with Port Elizabeth likely recording the fourth driest year on record.
South African Weather Service spokesperson Garth Sampson posted the news on his Facebook page, Weather Guru, on Friday.
He said if good rain did not fall by December 31, Port Elizabeth would have had the fourth lowest annual rainfall on record, with 411mm of rain.
This figure was only beaten in 1969 (406.3mm), 2010 (402mm) and 2008 (401.2mm) since recording rainfall was introduced in 1950.
Sampson said no heavy rainfall was predicted for the next week, adding that the Eastern Cape was heading for a “disastrous year”.
“Over the last three years we have not received more than 500mm a year. Our average is about 620mm of rain for the region,” Sampson said.
“There are a variety of factors which affect the lack of rainfall, one of them being that we are currently in a dry cycle. A cycle which can only be broken by flood rain . . . the question now, though, is when?
“Since the settlers’ days this is how the region has worked, it will go into a period of prolonged drought before the flood rains, and once that is done we begin the new drought cycle.”
He said while there could be a thunderstorm or two closing out the year, the next major rainfall season historically falls between April and May.
Though some good rains fell in September and partially alleviated the water crisis, it was still not enough to make a significant impact on the figures.
The current overall dam levels in the Bay are at 52.56%, after hovering around the 20% mark for large parts of the year.
However, Sampson urged all residents and visitors to use water sparingly.
“We receive most of our water in winter. And it is expected to only get hotter over the next few weeks, which sees an increase in water consumption and use coupled by the numerous visitors in the Bay.
“So we need to urge everyone to be self-disciplined and aware of the situation and their water usage otherwise we could very likely find ourselves in a similar situation to earlier this year,” he said.
“It is not just water evaporating ... but our consumption over this summer season which will have the biggest impact on our dams.”
East London also received low rainfall, with 557.4mm in 2018, trumped only in 2009 when it received 550.4mm.