RUSTENBURG HERALD - RUSTENBURG - One thing about the weather - it never fails to surprise!
Just when everyone in the country thought that April could possibly be the driest April of at least the past five years as a result of the infamous El Nino phenomenon, literally all hell broke loose with untold showers and storm damage in the Western Cape and several other regions around the country since the weekend.
Fortunately the North West province and Rustenburg in particular, were at the receiving end of only excellent showers which saw the fourth month well on its way towards recording another record-breaking rainfall month - the umpteenth of its kind in recent months and years thanks to Charlie Graham of Geelhout Gardens Nursery's rainfall statistics.
The good news is that Rustenburg "managed" to record 88 mm for the month of April - much better than what was anticipated only a month ago as the effects of the El Nino weather pattern came into play. To reflect on El Nino once again - one must admit that it is highly surprising that - with April 2024 being only nine or 10 days old, April 2024 finds itself in seventh place overall since Charlie Graham's rainfall statistics began some 21 years ago. Of course with April 2024 only 10 days old chances are excellent that the fourth month will advance to a significantly higher position on the rainfall log during the days and weeks to come.
Since the beginning of Graham’s rainfall statistics in 2003, April 2024's 88 mm rainfall was only bettered by April 2005 (149 mm); 2010 (165 mm); 2011 (127 mm); 2013 (89 mm); 2019 (90,5 mm) and 2022 (201 mm). Let's sit back and wait - it seems that El Nino might have other plans this year?
