Published: 13 hours ago

A widely circulated social media message warning Zimbabweans of an impending "aphelion phenomenon" causing unusually cold weather and increased health risks has been debunked by the Meteorological Services Department (MSD).

The message, shared on platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp, claims that starting tomorrow at 5:00 AM, Earth will be at its farthest point from the Sun for 27 hours, resulting in colder-than-usual conditions that could trigger flu, coughs, and shortness of breath lasting until August.

However, James Ngoma, Head of Forecasting at MSD, dismissed these claims as false and reiterated that the message is a recurring hoax. "It's fake. It circulates every year," Ngoma said.

Aphelion is an annual and natural astronomical event where Earth reaches the furthest point in its elliptical orbit around the Sun. Its counterpart, perihelion, is when Earth is closest to the Sun. Both events happen once every year and are part of Earth's regular orbital cycle.

Weather experts emphasise that aphelion has minimal impact on daily weather patterns. Zimbabwe and most southern hemisphere countries are not expected to experience any unusual cold weather due to aphelion during this winter season.

According to a report by Africa Check, aphelion coincides with the southern hemisphere's winter, causing winter to last slightly longer than summer in these regions. Conversely, in the northern hemisphere, summer lasts longer than winter. However, this lengthening of winter does not translate into colder temperatures.

"The northern hemisphere experiences warmer summers and colder winters primarily because of its larger land masses and less ocean coverage," the report explains. "These geographical factors, rather than Earth's distance from the Sun, influence weather patterns."

In summary, while aphelion is a genuine astronomical event, it does not cause extreme cold weather or health problems in Zimbabwe or elsewhere.

The Meteorological Services Department urges the public to rely on verified weather information and avoid spreading misleading messages that may cause unnecessary alarm.
- The Chronicle

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