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. In southeastern Kenya, the poor October-December, short-rains, season has already resulted in failed crops over local areas of the region. With the season already ended, the chance for recovery is unlikely.

2) An extended delayed start of the monsoon season has resulted in a 1-3 dekad delay in seasonal rains across southern Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Although increased rainfall over the past two weeks has eliminated rainfall deficits across much of the region, negative rainfall anomalies have persisted in many local areas of southern Zimbabwe and southern Mozambique. The forecast light rains during the next week could help to maintain dryness in the region.