TMA Raises Alarm Over ‘Very Strong’ El Niño as Vuli Rains Loom
The Tanzania Meteorological Authority has issued a warning for a strong El Niño event expected to bring above-normal rainfall to northern and eastern Tanzania through early 2027. Residents are cautioned about potential flooding, infrastructure damage, and health risks associated with the severe weather.
Why it matters
Proactive climate forecasting is critical for disaster preparedness and protecting agricultural output in regions vulnerable to extreme weather patterns.
Dar es Salaam — Tanzania faces a heightened risk of flooding, landslides, disease outbreaks and infrastructure disruption in the final quarter of 2026 after the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) warned that a very strong El Niño is expected to substantially shape this year’s Vuli rains.
In its forecast issued on August 18, 2026, TMA said the October–December season would bring above-normal to normal rainfall to much of northern and eastern Tanzania, with rainfall expected to intensify in November and continue into January 2027.
The warning covers the northern coast, including Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Pwani and Mafia, as well as Unguja and Pemba, northern Morogoro, the north-eastern highlands of Arusha, Manyara and Kilimanjaro, the Lake Victoria basin, and Kakonko and Kibondo districts in northern Kigoma.
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