ZIMP

Rainfall data

  • Buy a rain gauge and
  • Start recording the daily figures
  • You can learn plenty from the exercise
  • As a citizen scientist, you are contributing to the collective knowledge of the Zandvlei area.

Do you measure rainfall data in the general Zandvlei area, please let us have your records.

Contact Gavin Lawson for more info and questions you may have about setting up a rain gauge at home.

Present Contributors Name From Current
Timm Hoffman 1999 2016
Lucia Rodrigues 2006 2016
Gerrard Wigram 2006 2016
Bert Bron 2008 2016
John Fowkes and Jeremy Main 2010 2016
Martin Gee 2015 2016
Yvonne Bulgen 2015 2016
Denham Craig 2015 2016
-

Past Contributors Name

From To
Tim Everett 2012 2014
Peter Gray 1999 2014
Rob Hawke 2009 2014
Carol Lamb 2005 2011
Anita and Warren Flockhart 2006 2008
Dennis Mortimer 2005 2007
Dave Allman 2005 2005

 

The averaged annual total rainfall at the measured sites, for the displayed months = 56.5 mm

General Notes.

  • Rainfall data are measured daily using a standard funnel shaped rain gauge that can be purchased at any hardware store in Cape Town.

  • The approximately 35cm long funnel is 12.8cm wide at the top and is graduated in 1mm units for the first 20mm, in units of 2mm up to 50mm and in units of  5mm thereafter to 100mm.

  • The data may not indicate the current months rainfall, but will be updated regularly, and as close to the information being made available.

  • Prof Timm Hoffman at the Spring Festival 2005, ZIMP - 5 year Report back, highlighted that with the known rainfall data, a 50% accuracy figure can be calculated of the salinity levels in the Zandvlei estuary water body. This re-emphasises why it is so important to collect this data.

  • As of Sept 2005 new graphs illustrating trends and emerging rainfall patterns will help to present clearer information we now have at our finger tips.

  • Daily rainfall measurements are taken at 5 sites around the Zandvlei main water body at present.


1. Mountain side (west) of the main body of the vlei. From May 1999 to July 2002 this was at
Barbourne Rd, Zandvlei and thereafter at Craig Road, Lakeside (a few hundred metres north).
The data are collected by Timm Hoffman.

Jan   Feb   March   April   May   June   July   Aug  Sept   Oct   Nov   Dec


 2. Marina da Gama side (north east) of the main body of the vlei. These data have been collected by
Lucia Rodrigues
, Texel Close, Marina da Gama since January 2006.

Jan   Feb   March   April   May   June   July   Aug   Sept   Oct   Nov   Dec


 3. Marina da Gama side (north east) of the main body of the vlei. These data have been collected by
Gerrard Wigram, Michel Way, Marina da Gama since May 2003.

          Jan   Feb   March   April   May   June   July   Aug   Sept   Oct   Nov   Dec


4. Marina da Gama side (north east) of the main body of the vlei. These data have been collected by
Bert Bron, Axminster Road, Marine Estate from June 2008 to June 2016. 
There after Shearwater Drive, Marina da Gama.

          Jan   Feb   March   April   May   June   July   Aug   Sept   Oct   Nov   Dec


5. Mountain side (west) of the main body of the vlei. These data have been collected by
John Fowkes, Spinnaker Road, Lakeside since January 2010.

          Jan   Feb   March   April   May   June   July   Aug   Sept   Oct   Nov   Dec


6. Mountain side (south west)  of the main body of the vlei. These data have been collected by
Denham Craig at Upper Towers Road, Muizenberg since July 2015.

          Jan   Feb    March   April   May   June   July    Aug   Sept   Oct   Nov   Dec


7. Mountain side (west)  of the main body of the vlei. These data have been collected by
Yvonne Bulgen at Promenade Road, Zandvlei since July 2015.

          Jan   Feb   March   April   May   June   July    Aug   Sept   Oct  Nov   Dec


8. Marina da Gama side (east) of the main body of the vlei. These data have been collected by
Martin Gee, Spearhead Quay, Marina da Gama since Sept 2015.

         Jan   Feb   March   April   May    June   July   Aug   Sept   Oct   Nov   Dec


End of Aug 2016 - This is the combined rainfall measured at the sites.


 

2015.

End of December 2015 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites,
with the annual total rainfall, averaged from the measured sites = 459 mm.

End of December 2015 - This is the combined rainfall measured at the sites.

 


2014.

End of December 2014 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites,
with the annual total rainfall, averaged from the measured sites = 827.9 mm.

End of December 2014 - This is the combined rainfall measured at the sites.


2013.

End of December 2013 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites,
with the annual total rainfall, averaged from the measured sites = 1034.2 mm.

End of December 2013 - This is the combined rainfall measured at the sites.


2012.

End of December 2012 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites,
with the annual total rainfall, averaged from the measured sites = 782 mm.

End of December 2012 - This is the combined rainfall measured at the sites.


2011.

End of December 2011 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites,
with the annual total rainfall, averaged from the measured sites = 575 mm.

End of December 2011 - This is the combined rainfall measured at the sites.


2010.

End of December 2010 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites,
with the annual total rainfall, averaged from the measured sites = 590.6 mm.

End of December 2010 - This is the combined rainfall measured at the sites.


2009.

End of December 2009 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites,
with the annual total rainfall, averaged from the measured sites = 538.4mm

End of December 2009 - This is the combined rainfall measured at the sites.


2008.

End of December 2008 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites, with the
monthly average and the annual average.

End of December 2008 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites, with the
monthly average and the annual average.


2007.

End of December 2007 - Annual accumulated total rainfall from the measured sites = 870.3mm.

 

End of December 2007 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites, with the
monthly average and the annual average.


2006.

End of December 2006 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites, with the
monthly average and the annual average.


2005.

End of December 2005 - This is the combined rainfall of all the measured sites, with the
monthly average and the annual average.


This graph illustrates the averaged west and east of the Zandvlei rainfall readings, established by Timm Hoffman and Peter Gray over this time scale.

This is one of the challenging pieces of information, from the "5 year report back" presentation by Timm Hoffman at the Zandvlei Trust - Spring Festival in Sept 2005.


Historical Rainfall Data

General rainfall measured from 1841 at Observatory in Cape Town.
The red line through the graph is the - 10 year running average.

This graph indicates recent droughts in the 1990's and severe one in the 1930's during the Great Depression. The graph is from SA Weather Service, and an article in the City of Cape Towns
Contact Newsletter - No 18 April 2005.

                                                                                                                          

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