Seasons of Ethiopia

The seasons of Ethiopia consist of four phases: Tsedey (Amharic: ጸደይ, Oromo: Arfaasaa, equivalent to spring) lasting from September to November, Bega (Amharic: በጋ, Oromo: Ganna, equivalent to summer) from December to February, Belg (Amharic: በልግ) (Oromo: Birraa, equivalent to Fall) from March to May and Kiremt (Amharic: ክረምት, Oromo: Bona, equivalent to Winter) from June to August. The most dry and cold season is Bega/Ganna, while Kiremt/Bona is extremely rainy and when 85% to 95% of food crops are produced.

Seasons

Ethiopia has three distinct seasons that are locally known as "bega" (October to January), "belg" (February to May) and "kiremt" (June to September). The southern part of the country and southern lowlands have rainfall periods from March to May and from September to November. The two cropping seasons in Bale Highlands are called the Ganna (March to June) and Bona (July to December) seasons.^[1]^[2]

Bega

Bega is the dry season from December to January.^[3]^[4] Bega consists of mostly hot days and cool nights. Frost arrives every morning accompanied over most the Ethiopian Highlands areas.^[5]

Belg

Belg is a short rainy season in most parts of Ethiopia. From March to May, rainfall is highly variable and high maximum temperatures are common.^[6]

In this season, adequate rain in March may help farmers to plant short cycle crops, such as barley, wheat and teff. In most parts of Somali Region erratic and low rain falls during March, especially in southern parts where pasture and water are already scarce. According to the European Commission and World Food Programme, 490,000 MT of cereals (maize, sorghum and wheat) could be purchased on the domestic market for food aid in Ethiopia in 2002.^[7]

Kiremt

Kiremt is the rainy season when 85% to 95% of food crops are produced.^[8]^[9] Covering from June to August, the season is marked by frequent rains and homogeneous temperatures.^[10]

References

^ "Seasonal Rainfall Variability in Ethiopia". 21 September 2022.
^ Berhanu, Belete; Seleshi, Yilma; Melesse, Assefa M. (2014), Melesse, Assefa M.; Abtew, Wossenu; Setegn, Shimelis G. (eds.), "Surface Water and Groundwater Resources of Ethiopia: Potentials and Challenges of Water Resources Development", Nile River Basin, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 97–117, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-02720-3_6, ISBN 978-3-319-02719-7, retrieved 2022-09-21
^ "Best Time to Visit Ethiopia". Safari Deal. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
^ "national meteorological services agency agrometeorological" (PDF). 21 September 2022.
^ "Guide to the use of Weather and Climate Information (WCI)" (PDF). 21 September 2022.
^ "Belg rains are late: North Central Ethiopia once again faces difficult year - Title". www.africa.upenn.edu. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
^ "Ethiopia: Belg rains help planting of short-cycle crops - Ethiopia | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 19 April 2002. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
^ Asfaw, Amogne; Simane, Belay; Hassen, Ali; Bantider, Amare (2018-03-01). "Variability and time series trend analysis of rainfall and temperature in northcentral Ethiopia: A case study in Woleka sub-basin". Weather and Climate Extremes. 19: 29–41. Bibcode:2018WCE....19...29A. doi:10.1016/j.wace.2017.12.002. ISSN 2212-0947.
^ "HIGHLIGHTS" (PDF). National Meteorology Agency. 21 September 2022.
^ Ali Mohammed, Jemal; Gashaw, Temesgen; Worku Tefera, Gebrekidan; Dile, Yihun T.; Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Addisu, Solomon (2022-09-01). "Changes in observed rainfall and temperature extremes in the Upper Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia". Weather and Climate Extremes. 37: 100468. Bibcode:2022WCE....3700468A. doi:10.1016/j.wace.2022.100468. ISSN 2212-0947. S2CID 249289595.

[1] "Seasonal Rainfall Variability in Ethiopia". 21 September 2022.

[2] Berhanu, Belete; Seleshi, Yilma; Melesse, Assefa M. (2014), Melesse, Assefa M.; Abtew, Wossenu; Setegn, Shimelis G. (eds.), "Surface Water and Groundwater Resources of Ethiopia: Potentials and Challenges of Water Resources Development", Nile River Basin, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 97–117, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-02720-3_6, ISBN 978-3-319-02719-7, retrieved 2022-09-21

[3] "Best Time to Visit Ethiopia". Safari Deal. Retrieved 2022-09-21.

[4] "national meteorological services agency agrometeorological" (PDF). 21 September 2022.

[5] "Guide to the use of Weather and Climate Information (WCI)" (PDF). 21 September 2022.

[6] "Belg rains are late: North Central Ethiopia once again faces difficult year - Title". www.africa.upenn.edu. Retrieved 2022-09-21.

[7] "Ethiopia: Belg rains help planting of short-cycle crops - Ethiopia | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 19 April 2002. Retrieved 2022-09-21.

[8] Asfaw, Amogne; Simane, Belay; Hassen, Ali; Bantider, Amare (2018-03-01). "Variability and time series trend analysis of rainfall and temperature in northcentral Ethiopia: A case study in Woleka sub-basin". Weather and Climate Extremes. 19: 29–41. Bibcode:2018WCE....19...29A. doi:10.1016/j.wace.2017.12.002. ISSN 2212-0947.

[9] "HIGHLIGHTS" (PDF). National Meteorology Agency. 21 September 2022.

[10] Ali Mohammed, Jemal; Gashaw, Temesgen; Worku Tefera, Gebrekidan; Dile, Yihun T.; Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Addisu, Solomon (2022-09-01). "Changes in observed rainfall and temperature extremes in the Upper Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia". Weather and Climate Extremes. 37: 100468. Bibcode:2022WCE....3700468A. doi:10.1016/j.wace.2022.100468. ISSN 2212-0947. S2CID 249289595.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]