The coastal forests and transitional parts of Ghana would experience ‘normal to above normal rainfall’ from the second week of March to the ending of July, the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA) has said.

The season would be characterised by lengthy dry spells, especially over the coastal and transitional belts, the GMA added in a press release.

It said for the West Coast, the mean onset date of the rainy season had been forecasted to be within the second and third week of March, with the range of expected rainfall over the West Coast being 1,000 millimeters to 1250 (mm), an increase of about 90 percent over that of 2016.

For the East Coastal Belt, it said the rains were expected within the second and third week of March. The range of expected rainfall amount over this region is 390mm to 490mm, an increase of about 10 percent over that of 2016, the release said.

The rainy season is expected to begin in the Forest Region of the country in the second and third week of March, with an estimated amount of 470mm to 600mm, the release said.

This meant an increase of 25 percent over that of 2016, it explained.

Within the Transitional Belt Region, the Meteo said, the rains were expected also within the second and third week of March.

It said the expected rainfall in that region was from 550mm to 690 mm, an increase of about 55 percent over that of 2016.

The Northern Belt of the country, however, would experience the rainy season within the fourth week of April and the first week of May, the release said.

It said the expected range of the rainfall amount over the region was from 1090mm to 1360mm, an increase of about 10 percent over that of 2016, with the estimated cessation date being the end of October.

The Upper West and Upper East Regions would also experience the rainy season within the first and second week of May, said the release.

It said whilst the expected rainfall range for the Upper West Region was estimated at between 960mm and 1200mm, which was 20 percent more than that of 2016, the Upper East Region was expected to have rainfall amounts ranging from 700mm to 970mm.

The mean cessation dates for these regions were expected to be about the third week of October, the release said.