Kgalagadi: Rain

[[email protected]]

When is the rainy season for Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?

How do you make arrangements for private drives with kids...

We are a group of 3 adults and 3 children...

[lion queen]

Rainy season is supposed to be Summer.......

Climate

The Kalahari is a semi-arid region with an average rainfall of 150mm in the southwest to 350mm in the northeast. The unreliable and irregular rains fall mostly during dramatic thunderstorms, often accompanied by strong winds and dust-storms, between November and April. The first rains transform the red dunes, covering them with the fresh yellow flowers of the dubbeltjie, Tribulus terrestris. Within two weeks fresh green grass begins to grow, but if the rains do not return, the vegetation will soon wither and the thirstland once again becomes apparent.

Temperatures vary greatly from -11°C on cold winter nights to 42°C in the shade on summer days when the ground surface temperature reaches a sizzling 70°C. During the winter months, when frost is common, the ground surface temperature can be 25°C lower that the temperature of the air. Winter in the Kalahari is a cool, dry season from September to October and then a hot, wet season from November to April.

Kgalagadi climate

[Bossie]

Good Day. I hear from a friend near Askham that they had between 10 and 44 mm of rain. FANTASTIC news indeed. How about the Park? Any news please??

[MATTHYS]

Good day and please see the rain at Nossob, Bossie !

[Basil D]

Hi Everybody - My name is Basil Dardagan. I haven't posted for years and years however I witnessed something in the KTP that I THINK may be so special that I need to share it and also find out just how rare it is (or is not). My father and I were recently in the Kgalagadi during and just after the rains. I have often seen large pools of water in the riverbeds on previous visits however I have never seen water actually flowing. Not only did we witness a 10km stretch of the Auob with flowing water in it we actually drove along watching the leading water moving onto dry riverbed. Following is an account of what we saw

On Friday the 22 January 2016 my father and I were on a game drive in the KTP driving north up the Auob riverbed. Somewhere between the Gemsbokplein and Batulama Waterholes we noticed that the usually dry riverbed was full of water and on closer inspection realized that it was very clearly ACTUALLY FLOWING downstream. Excited by our find we followed the body of water upstream, all the way until a few hundred meters past the Montrose waterhole when we had to turn around due to gate closing times. 'At this turning point' the body of flowing water still stretched up river as far as the eye could see. When driving back downstream approximately 1km short of the Gemsbokplein waterhole we were left speechless at the sight of the leading film of water doggedly pushing forward onto dry riverbed rebirthing an ancient river as it flowed. Realizing the significance of what we were witnessing we photographed this ancient miracle for as long as gate times allowed. By the time we were forced to leave the water had progressed about a kilometer and we left it (still pushing forward)about 100m short of the Gemsbokplein Waterhole. Therefore in a nutshell - we witnessed water running down the Auob riverbed turning dry sand into river for at least 11km and don't know how much further up stream it was flowing from.

I managed to take a very basic , very amateur cell phone video of the events - you can view it by posting this you tube link into your browser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhPJgVTOo1U

Thank you for taking the time to look. I really wanted to share that and am also very interested in some opinions of just how rare seeing water running down a 10km stretch of the Auob is? I would really appreciate any bodies opinions.

Thank you very much
Basil Dardagan - [email protected]

[[email protected]]

Hi Basil,
Amazing! We were lucky enough to have the same experience, I think in 2001/2 when the Auob flowed for the first time in a good number of years. This flow was more like a flood as the road running along the river was completely submerged and washed away in places! Our traveling in the park was restricted to the dune road as well as the road to Mata Mata. We have just missed the rains there now so thanx for shareing, as we have just returned from Mabuasehube which had not seen any rain till now!
Rob.

[shfish]

Thanks for sharing Basil D.
I recall one stay at Mata Mata, probably the same year to which Rob refers, and we were camping in the lower sites (in the river bed in other words). On returning from a game drive one afternoon, we were warned by the receptionist that the Aoub was flowing in Namibia about 30 kms away and if we were in a low campsite, she recommended we move to higher ground. I was too lazy to move camp much to the irritation of my wife. I remember my words to her that evening......"the river hasn't flowed for 30 years and it ain't going to do it now".
Next morning we woke up and the Aoub was still bone dry. "I told you so", I said to my still uncertain wife. We went for a game drive and headed back to camp about 10am. Two kms down the river from Mata Mata we came face to face with the river flowing . With my two wheel drive vehicle, we had to drive through 30cm deep FLOWING water where the road basically runs in the river bed. Back at camp, other campers had thankfully dragged all our equipment to higher ground. The river level in camp was about half a metre deep ( it eventually went on to reach the floor level of the birdhide ). We rapidly threw everything into the back of the car and ran the gaunlet of flowing river again to get in front of the flow.
What an experience and what a lesson learnt........don't mess with nature([and listen to your wife!) size=50][/size]

[WildImage]

When carolv and I were there in January we experienced a lot of rain which resulted in some deep puddles in the roads. I think these have probably dried up by now though.

Here are a few of the images:

#1 Aoub River 19th Jan 2016

#2 Aoub River 19th Jan 2016

Flooded Road in Kgalagadi

Water Splash in Sand Road

Richard

[wingman]

Hi can anyone advise on the rain situation in the parks, we have family due to visit shortly and have asked if any kind soul can let them know what the drought situation there is.
many thanks

[carolz]

Hi. We were there for 10 days .. Left yesterday. There has been good rain but most free water has dried up. South of park looks drier than the Nossop and Mata Mata. Animals in good condition and quite a bit of green grass. Sorry no facts and figures ... just what I saw!

[NicoleCT]

I believe some good rain has fallen recently ? Is any part flooded though, is Mata Mata - Twee Rivieren Road fine ? We are planning to go next week and do not have a 4x4, only standard Nissan Xtrail.

Any feedback from anyone there currently ?

[lion queen]

Hi NicoleCT,

We did have some lovely rain in Upington last week, not nearly as much as Kuruman/Kathu, but very welcoming!

Water drainage is very quick in KTP and if not raining every day for a whole week, the water should have dried away by the time you get to the park.

Roads that is not accessible will be closed and if you are worried, enquire at reception in the morning before going out for a game drive.

If not moving camps, and you encounter water that you are uncertain about, rather turn back.

Enjoy your trip and may you be blessed with a wonderful time!

[Niggel]

There have been some signs concerning rain and thunder showers in the park.
Does somebody has some more informations
Thanks Mathias

[Jonkers]

on 15/2 Nadia posted on FB:
Recent rainfall stats:
Twee Rivieren - 12mm

[Secombe]

Samevloeiing on the 13th

https://youtu.be/_9_e_ekd210

TR had steady rain and thunder from about 1am to 8am on the 12th and heavy thundershowers in Nossob on the 13th and 14th.