Significant falls in Bay catchment areas

Garth Sampson at the Port Elizabeth branch of the South African Weather Services reports that there were significant falls in the catchment areas of Nelson Mandela Bay's main supply dams overnight.

"Although only 29mm were measured at the Port Elizabeth Airport, it was a very different situation in the catchment of Nelson Mandela Bay," said Sampson on Saturday morning.

"Joubertina had a whopping 163mm and our man on the spot Anton, at Kareedouw, said his rain gauge overflowed at midnight, so he had more than 155mm. Even Patensie was lucky and recorded 41mm."

Sampson said the Krakeel and Kromme rivers which flow into the dams were flowing beautifully.

More rain was expected across the metro and in the main catchment in the form of showers for most of Saturday. Sampson said it would be heavier on Saturday morning, easing up later.

Official figures below from Sampson:

Catchment rain 24 hours until 8am September 8 2018:

Joubertina 163 mmKareedouw 155 mm PLUS (gauge overflowedLuterwater Hoek 216 mmKrakeel 230 mmMusgund 170 mmPatensie 41 mm.

"Please, this does not solve our water crisis. Use water sparingly," he said