Enjoy our South Africa climate,
one of the mildest and most pleasant in the world.

CLIMATE FEATURES
THE RAINFALL
THE TEMPERATURES

Satellite view of South Africa - South Africa climate
(c) South African tourism

South Africa’s position on the earth globe between 22 and 34 degrees southern latitude, puts it within the subtropical belt of high pressure systems in winter and low pressure systems in summer, that circles the globe between 25 and 30 degrees southern latitude, producing a dry South Africa climate, with an abundance of sunshine.

Our country is surrounded by oceans on three sides – west, south and east. This feature together with the higher altitude of the large interior plateau accounts for its more temperate climate conditions, compared to other areas within the subtropical belt. In general, climate conditions in South Africa range from Mediterranean in the south-western corner of the country, to temperate on the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate.

The warm north to south-flowing Mozambique-Agulhas current in the Indian ocean at the east coast and the cold south to north-flowing Benguela current in the Atlantic ocean at the west coast of our country, have an important effect on the South Africa weather within the country. The contrast in temperature between these two currents, largely accounts for the striking differences in climate and vegetation between the east and west coasts.

Another feature that influences the South Africa climate conditions inside our country is the variation in altitude in the physical geography of the country. South Africa has three main geographic regions, the great interior plateau, the escarpment of mountain ranges that rims the plateau on the east, south and west and the coastal belt, the area lying between the escarpment and the sea.

The Rainfall,...

Rainfall map of South Africa – South Africa climate

Total overall average annual rainfall for South Africa is 464 mm, compared with an overall world average of 860 mm. In most of the country the rainfall occurs during summer. It is unpredictable and unreliable and is largely influenced by moist air moving in from the Indian ocean in the east and south east. Total rainfall is greatest in the east of the country and gradually decreases westward.

The wettest regions are the eastern provinces Mpumalanga, Freestate, Gauteng and Kwazulu Natal with an average annual rainfall of up to 900 mm. The average annual rainfall in the central area of the country is around 400 mm, decreasing west ward to less then 200 mm, leaving the western and north western regions of the country with semi-desert and desert type climates.

An exception to the overall rainfall pattern of the South Africa climate is the south-western part of the Western Cape province. Here we find a typical Mediterranean climate with the rainfall occurring during the winter period, coming in from the Atlantic ocean. The average annual rainfall for this area is 515 mm.

TABLE OF AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL FIGURES.

CAPE TOWN	515 mm
JOHANNESBURG	802 mm
DURBAN	1009 mm
PRETORIA	674 mm
BLOEMFONTEIN	559 mm
PORT ELIZABETH	1120 mm
KIMBERLEY	414 mm
PHALABORWA	747 mm
POLIKWANE	468 mm
UPPINGTON	189 mm

The Temperatures,...

Despite a latitude span of 13 degrees from south to north, average annual temperatures across the interior plateau are surprisingly uniform. There is hardly any increase in temperature from south to north, contrary to what one would have expected. This is due to the increasing height of the interior plateau towards the northeast. The difference in average annual temperature between cape town at 17 degrees Celsius and Pretoria at 17,5 degrees Celsius over a distance of close to 1500 km for instance, is only half a degree Celsius.

Going from east to west, the story is quite different. The influence of the Mozambique-Agulhas current at the east coast and the Benguela current at the west coast on the South Africa climate, is considerable. The difference in average annual temperature between Durban on the east coast and Port Nolloth on the west coast for instance, is as much as 6 degrees Celsius. The effects of these two currents can even be seen at the narrow Cape peninsula, where water temperatures average up to 4 degrees Celsius higher on the eastern Falsebay side, then on the western Cape town harbour side.

Our South Africa climate knows temperature variations ranging from cold, mild winters with day temperatures averaging 10 – 20 degrees Celsius, to warm, hot summers with day temperatures averaging 25 – 35 degrees Celsius. Temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius are fairly common in South Africa in summer. In regions like the lower Orange valley, the Karoo, the Mpumalanga lowveld and the north coast of kwazulu Natal, they can exceed 38 degrees Celsius.

TABLE OF AVERAGE DAY TEMPERATURES IN DEGREES CELSIUS.

	Summer	Winter
CAPE TOWN	26	16
JOHANNESBURG	25	16
DURBAN	28	23
PRETORIA	29	19
BLOEMFONTEIN	31	17
PORT ELIZABETH	25	14
KIMBERLEY	33	19
PHALABORWA	32	25
POLIKWANE	28	20
UPPINGTON	36	21

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