The Addo climate...?
You will just love it !!
The Addo climate in the Addo Elephant National Park is
moderate to hot and in summer (November to February) temperatures may reach well over 40 degrees Celsius.
The winters are mild, but it can become quite cold at night, with frost occurring at time.
The average annual rainfall is 450 millimetres and is spread throughout the year, although peaks do occur in
March-April and September-October.
Born just now, in the Addo Elephant National Park
Photograph by Ray Booysen
Addo section
The area called the “Addo section” (main camp area), receives and average rainfall of less then 445mm per
year and is accordingly classified as semi-arid to arid. Rainfall is spread out evenly throughout the year,
with peaks in February-March and October-November. Frost does occur at times in the winter.
Daily temperatures vary between 32 and 15 degrees Celsius in summer and between 18 and 5 degrees Celsius in
winter. The “Addo section” of the park does not have any natural water, except for a number of small pans
which are mostly dry. Waterholes are supplied with water pumped up by boreholes from underground.
Zuurberg section
The height of the "Zuurberg section" of the Addo Elephant National Park varies from 250m to 970m above
sea level. The average annual rainfall is approximately 722mm, with peaks in spring and autumn. The winter
is the driest period of the year. Thunderstorms do occur in the summer months, often resulting in heavy
downpours.
Darlington section
The "Darlington section" has the lowest rain fall in the Addo Park with an annual average of 255mm.
Rainfall is mostly in the form of thundershowers with heavy downpours and an occasional cold front from the
west.
Coastal section (Woody Cape)
The "Coastal section" called "Woody cape", is the wettest part of the Addo Elephant National Park, with
and annual rainfall that varies between 392mm at Sundays river mouth to 700mm near Woody Cape.
The region between Boknes and Bushmans river mouth is the transition zone from all year rainfall to summer
rainfall. The dunefield occurs in a rain shadow which receives lower rainfall than both Port Elizabeth and
Alexandria. Fog and mist are common, with frost being rare.
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