Rainfall delay amplifies Tanzania’s biting heatwave

Tanzania is currently experiencing an intense and prolonged heatwave, as temperatures in many regions have soared 2–4 °C above the usual November average. In Moshi (Kilimanjaro), the mercury climbed to 35.7 °C, the highest reported so far, while places like Morogoro, Shinyanga and Dar es Salaam also recorded significantly elevated heat. Experts attribute this spike to the position of the sun (sun-zenith period) combined with delayed and suppressed rainfall. According to the national meteorological agency, reduced moisture inflow from the Indian Ocean, due to unusually low western-Indian-Ocean sea-surface temperatures, is limiting rainfall, aggravating dryness and heat. The unusually hot and dry conditions are stressing water resources, raising heat-related health risks, and threatening rain-fed agriculture just as the season should transition toward wetter conditions. Government warnings urge communities to conserve water, adapt farming practices, and prepare for a hotter, drier period ahead.