A coalition of international non-governmental organizations, including ChildFund Alliance and Plan International, warned on May 20 that persistent droughts are devastating agriculture across Southern Africa. According to a report published via ReliefWeb, crop losses have reached between 40 and 80 percent in countries like Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, where the majority of the population relies on rain-fed farming. This compounds existing environmental pressures, as a separate report published by Greenpeace International on May 19 highlighted that millions of people in the region are still recovering from severe flooding and cyclones caused by extreme weather patterns.
In local weather updates, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services issued a forecast on May 19 predicting chilly, windy, and cloudy conditions for parts of Malawi. The department stated that the current weather, which includes isolated rain showers and fog, is being driven by a moist and cool southeasterly air mass moving across the country.