Yintoni Isichotho?
Isichotho ziibhola okanye iintwana zeziqede ezisuka ku 3 mm ukuya ngapha ko 50 mm ubungakanani. Ngenxa yokwenzeka kwesichotho sifuna amafu ajikayo nemimoya enamandla, isichotho sidityaniswa neendudumo. Isichotho esihamba neendudumo senzeka imizuzu elishumi nantlanu (15) kwaye senzeka emini okanye emveni kwemini.UMzantsi Afrika uyathandwa sisichotho esihamba nendudumo ezinamandla, kuba umphakathi kwindawo ezonyukayo- ngokwe ndawo zobushushu phakathi ko 30 no 60℃ emantla nase mazantsi we ikhweyitha.
Senzeka njani Isichotho
Isichotho sifuna umoya okhulu owonyukayo, isiqede okanye umkhenkce owaneleyo kunye namanzi aphole kakhulu ukuze senzeke. Kwisichotho esincinci ukuba senze umoya owonyukayo ophakathi ko 35-55 km/h uyafuneka. Amatye amakhulu, alingana nebhola ye golufa, angu 40 mm ububanzi, sifuna imimoya ephakathi ko 90 km/h ukuze senzeke.Izichotho ziqala zenzeke kwimbewu yamaqabaza wemvula amancinci okanye imikhenkce engaqinanga eyaziwa ngokuba yi graupel – amakhatshu aqinileyo we snowflake. Ukuze lamaqabaza wemvula aqinileyo okanye igraupel ikhule ibesisichotho sokwenene, kufuneka ifumane umkhenkce owongezelekileyo, ukwenzeka kwalo mkhenkce kwaziwa ngokuba yi accretion. Ukwenza njalo, iqanda lesichotho kufuneka lichithe ixesha emafini agcwele amanzi apholileyo amaqondo obushushu angu 0℃.
Isichotho siye siwele phantsi ngenxa yokwanda ze ubungakanani bungabambeki kwaye bungabaleki kwindawo yomoya ophezulu, okanye singababeka kumoya ojonge ngezangtsi uphephethekele ngase mhlabeni. Amatye ezichotho amakhulu awela kukukhawuleza okungapha ko 160 km/h. isichotho siye sinyibilike phambi kokufika emhlabeni okanye siphelele kwindudumo ezinamandla ezikumphakathi.
IIndawo zesi Chotho eMzantsi Afrika
Amabhanti Wesichotho eMzantsi Afrika
Zikhona iindawo ezaziwa njenge ‘ndawo zesichotho’ okanye amabhanti esichotho’ eMzantsi Afrika. ezindawo zithandwa kakhulu sisichotho kune ngingqi ezingqongileyo.Indawo eyi Misgund ese Langkloof Valley, enye yendawo zemveliso yeziqhamo ezinamagqabi, phantsi konkcenkeshelo yindawo ethandwa zindudumo nesichotho, kwaye ihlala ifumana ilahleko yesivuno.
Enye indawo ethandwa sisichotho inonela kwicala langase mazantsi we ntaba iWinterberg kwelase Mpuma Koloni ukususela kumantla we Somerset East ukuya emantla we Fort Beaufort. Amafama athengisa iziqhamo ezifana ne orenji kwi Kat River Valley ekufuphi ne Fort Beaufort afumene ilahleko enkulu ngenxa ye zichotho ezenzekayo rhoqo ezinamandla.
Kwelase Mpuma Koloni, izichotho zenzeka kwi nyanga ka December no January, zibana mahamba namvula amakhulu, angaphezulu kweqanda lesikhukukazi.
Kubalulekile ukulazi ‘ixesha lesichotho’ kwindawo ethile, kuba ixesha lesivuno apho isichotho senzeka khona lenza umohluko omkhulu kumonakalo owenzekileyo. Ngelishwa ulwazi oludibene namaxesha esichotho, iindawo okanye ubungakanani azikwazi ukufumaneka kwinkcukacha ezigciniweyo zesimo sezulu.
Translated by Zikhona Plaatjie