1) Seasonal moisture deficits and below- average vegetative conditions remain following a mid-season dry spell that occurred in early November in northern Kenya and southern Somalia and below-average rains in November and December for much of eastern Africa. With an extended period of dryness for southern Kenya and northeastern Tanzania, this could result in a deterioration of pastoral and agro-pastoral conditions. Recent rains during the last few weeks, though, have provided improvement across southeastern Kenya.
2) An extended delayed start to the monsoon season across eastern parts of southern Africa has resulted in a 1-3 dekad delay in seasonal rains across southern Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Consistent rainfall, spatially and temporally, has yet to occur across this region resulting in poor vegetative conditions at the start of the season. Below-average rains have occurred during five of the last six weeks. With rains expected to be limited and below-average during the next week, continued dryness and increasing seasonal deficits could negatively impact cropping activities.