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Back WEATHER PAGE
Namibia is by and large a desert-like country being bordered by the cold Atlantic Ocean on the western shoreline. Furthermore, it is well away from the warmer eastern oceans on the other side of Africa.
These two factors causes Namibia to have a very low relative humidity level almost throughout the year, with endless blue skies. Winter Relative Humidity normally varies from 38% in the mornings to even as low as 15% at 12 p.m. Summer Relative Humidity ~ 45% - 75%, or even 90% after a thunderstorm.
Ground temperatures can be expected to be high throughout the year, leading to excellent thermal conditions throughout the day. However, wintertime, that is from June-Aug, is known to have inversions at ± 800-1000 m AGL (above ground level) in the interior. During August - mid September, one can expect severe easterly winds blowing sometimes for days-on-end at even up to 50 km/h in the interior. East weather can then be expected at the coast from end of May until August. Conditions is then very hot at the coast, e.g. it could be even 42°C at Swakopmund - middle winter for up to 3 days or even 6 days long, while at the same time 360 km's east in Windhoek one might have 14°C-20°C throughout the day.
Download pics on east weather...
Summer day temperatures varies from 22-45°C in Windhoek, however one can expect a average temperature of 32°C rather. Winter temperatures can vary from as little as 1°C at 06h00 in the morning up to 23°C at 12 p.m.
Here are the seasonal times for Namibia;
Summer December, January, February
Autumn March, April, May
Winter June, July, Aug
Spring September, October, November
The best X-Country times would be during the months of October, November, mid-February, March, April and May. Huge thunderstorms with over-development conditions settles in from ± 10'th of January throughout the months of February up to middle of March sometimes.
Our best X-Country flights thus far were done just after the rainy season, this was in March, April and May by paraglider, as the ground temperatures is slightly lower after the rains with better lapse rates and larger diameter thermals, also no inversion conditions present and milder wind speeds.
I would recommend the following websites for weather predictions;
1) http://www.weathersa.co.za/forecasts/synopsmap.html
2) http://www.netfor.co.za/gv.htm (a good site)
3) http://www.sabcnews.com/Syndication/Ananzi/Weather/0,1930,04,00.html
A good site to explain cloud types and classification;
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/cld/cldtyp/home.rxml
Download a reference on Meteorology - Meteorology.pdf (Acrobat Reader required)
