Harare — THE dry spell across most of the country is expected to continue until next week when a general increase in rainfall is expected, the Meteorological Services Department has said.

Met Department director Dr Amos Makarau said the dry spell was caused by an unfavourable airflow affecting most parts of Southern Africa.

"The country has been experiencing reduced rainfall activity since the beginning of February. This has been due to an unfavourable airflow affecting much of the sub-continent.

"However, some isolated light showers have been experienced whilst the rest of the country should be mostly dry until about the 25th when a general increase in rainfall activity is expected across the whole country," he said.

Dr Makarau said the department had started cloud seeding and some areas have already benefited, especially in Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland West, which had favourable conditions for cloud seeding.

"Cloud seeding activities began in Zimbabwe in 1974 and have been carried out consistently ever since.

"In the simplest terms, cloud seeding is a form of weather modification in which other particles are introduced into a cloud to serve as cloud condensation nuclei and aid in the formation of rainfall.

"The country has benefited immensely from the programme, especially during periods of average rainfall.

"The programme is mainly targeted at areas of agricultural importance."

"Where facilities are available, irrigation should become the main focus during this time," Dr Makarau said.