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Elita Chikwati–Senior Agriculture Reporter 

Tropical Cyclone Batsirai has moved further southward away from Zimbabwe, the Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has advised. 

The weather should be sunny and hot over most parts of the country today. 

In an advisory yesterday, MSD said the moderate tropical cyclone was expected to disintegrate this week. 

“Batsirai is more than 1 000km from Zimbabwe’s eastern border and has moved further southward at 17km per hour over the past six hours (as at 10am hours yesterday). 

“It is forecast to move in the southward direction over the next 36 hours,” said the department. 

In this direction, it is headed for cooler water with seas surface temperatures of below 25 degrees Celsius. Thus it can begin to lose its tropical nature and will soon be classified as a post-tropical depression ex-Batsirai. 

In the meantime, in this transient position, ex tropical Cyclone Batsirai should draw moisture from Zimbabwe. As such Tuesday and Wednesday (today) should be mostly sunny, humid and hot over most parts of the country. 

Meanwhile, brief cloudy periods and isolated afternoon and evening thunderstorms are expected in Manicaland and all Mashonaland provinces today. 

Yesterday remnant moisture across the country resulted in generally light rain and thunderstorms, though the rainfall amounts were insignificant. Meanwhile, the cloud band from Botswana is slowly approaching the country. 

“Harare Metropolitan and all Mashonaland provinces are today expected to be cloudy conditions with isolated showers that could be thundery in places. It should be mild at first becoming warm by afternoon. 

Matabeleland North, Bulawayo Metropolitan, Matabeleland South, Masvingo, the Midlands should be mild in the morning and warm by midday with scattered clouds. 

 The department said thunder and lightning may affect plans, and appealed to people to plan with the weather in mind. 

“Lightning may still strike for a distant cloud, even when the sky overhead is clear. Localised heavy rains remain a potential. These may result in flash flooding in areas with poor drainage or impervious surfaces. 

“Some local dams have filled, any excess rain water may lead to over-spilling and downstream flooding,” said the department.