The warm Agulhas Current runs south along the east coast and the cold Benguela Current flows north along the western shore. Climatic zones are often referred to by the seasonal pattern of rainfall. Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Directorate, Support towards operationalization of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy (STOSAR). Therefore, SADC Member States are collaborating to find ways to adapt to, and mitigate, the effects of climate change in the region. The summer and winter ra… In winter temperatures can drop below freezing, also due to altitude. These effects can threaten SADC goals of stronger Regional Integration and Economic Development. On the central plateau, which includes the Free State and Gauteng provinces, the altitude keeps the average temperatures below 20 °C (68 °F); Johannesburg, for example, lies at 1,753 metres (5,751 ft). The Sub-Tropical Eastern Continental Moist Maritime System, which experiences regular cyclones; The Southeasterly Wind System, which brings rainfall from the Indian Ocean; and. The topography is able to influence the track and development of many weather systems, leading to marked gradients in rainfall and vegetation across southern Africa. [7] Temperatures in the city are usually fairly mild due to the city's high altitude, with the average maximum daytime temperature in January of 26 °C (78.8 °F), dropping to an average maximum of around 16 °C (60.8 °F) in June. It is also likely that at least some of the relativity aridity of the Limpopo region in northern South Africa/southern Zimbabwe results from the location of Madagascar in the southwestern Indian Ocean. The sub region includes southern Angola, northeastern Namibia, Zambia, northern and eastern Botswana, Zimbabwe, western Malawi, Lesotho, Swaziland, and the eastern half of South Africa. The annual average rainfall is 713 millimetres (28.1 in), which is mostly concentrated in the summer months. Infrequent showers occur through the course of the winter months. Along with Benguela Niños, the southern African climate is strongly impacted by ENSO and to lesser extent by the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and sea-surface temperature (SST) dipole events in the Indian and South Atlantic Oceans. This sub-region is comprised of relatively warm temperate climates (whereby the temperature of the hottest month is … The Western Cape province has a Mediterranean climate with warm to hot, dry, sunny summer weather and mild, rainy conditions in winter. Rain falls from October to February and is often heavy, with the amount of precipitation increasing from west to east. The summer and winter rainfall region is the Eastern Cape. As a result, there is at least a 6 °C difference in the annual temperatures of Durban (on the east) and Port Nolloth (on the west) despite being located at roughly the same latitude. The north and west of the city has undulating hills while the eastern parts are flatter. The former central business district is found on the south side of the prominent ridge called the Witwatersrand and the terrain falls to the north and south. PRINTED FROM the OXFORD RESEARCH ENCYCLOPEDIA, CLIMATE SCIENCE (oxfordre.com/climatescience). [4] Keywords: southern Africa, climate variability, climate change, weather patterns, rainfall, Agulhas Current, Benguela Current, Southern Ocean, models. Climate change in South Africa will have wide reaching effects on the country. Vegetation tends to vary by climatic zone[5] and these also correspond to the horticultural zones.[6]. You could not be signed in, please check and try again. Climate change presents a significant threat to the SADC region as it is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of climatic events. Overall, rainfall is greatest in the east and gradually decreases westward, with some semi-desert areas along the western edge of South Africa. [2] The average annual rainfall for South Africa is about 464 mm (compared to a global average of 786 mm[3]) but large and unpredictable variations are common. South Africa experiences a high degree of sunshine with rainfall about half of the global average, increasing from west to east, and with semi-desert regions in the north-west. The presence of the large island of Madagascar, itself a region of strong topographic and rainfall gradients, has consequences for the climate of the mainland by reducing the impact of the moist trade winds on the Mozambique coast and the likelihood of tropical cyclone landfall there. Weather and climate affect many aspects of life in Southern Africa. Much of the interior of southern Africa consists of a plateau 1 to 1.5 km high and a narrow coastal belt that is particularly mountainous in South Africa, leading to sharp topographic gradients. SADC works with Member States to improve infrastructure and capacity in meteorology. Johannesburg enjoys a dry, sunny climate, with the exception of occasional late afternoon downpours in the summer months of October to April. Three primary wind systems affect the region: Fluctuations in climate – specifically, changes in rainfall amounts – have also been linked to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation phenomenon. [9], CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, "GPCC's new land surface precipitation climatology based on quality-controlled in situ data and its role in quantifying the global water cycle", "Johannesburg & Gauteng Weather and Climate", "Joburg covered by snow as temperature drops", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Climate_of_South_Africa&oldid=980376882, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 26 September 2020, at 06:19. Africa is predicted to be the continent most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The climate of the SADC region ranges from arid to sub-humid. It is typified by Johannesburg, at an elevation of 1,753 metres (5,751 ft). Cold and warm coastal currents running north-west and north-east respectively account for the difference in climates between west and east coasts. Snow is a rare occurrence, with snowfall having been experienced in May 1956, August 1962, June 1964, September 1981, August 2006 (light), on 27 June 2007,[8] accumulating up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in the southern suburbs, and most recently on 7 August 2012. The winter rainfall region is confined to a relatively small area in the south-west, the Western Cape area, where gentle rain falls from May to August but the summers are dry. Southern Africa extends from the equator to about 34°S and is essentially a narrow, peninsular land mass bordered to its south, west, and east by oceans. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter without a subscription. The regional land–sea distribution leads to a highly variable climate on a range of scales that is still not well understood due to its complexity and its sensitivity to a number of different drivers. The Indian and Atlantic oceans meet at the southwestern tip of South Africa. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Climate Science, Changes in Precipitation Over Southern Africa During Recent Centuries, Quaternary Climate Variation in Southern Africa, Climate Impact: Managed Ecosystems and Agriculture, Climate Systems and Climate Dynamics: Biogeochemistry, Climate Systems and Climate Dynamics: Theoretical Foundations. Its termination in the mid-ocean subtropics has important consequences for regional climate, since it allows the strongest western boundary current in the world ocean (warm Agulhas Current) to be in close proximity to an intense eastern boundary upwelling current (cold Benguela Current). Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology. The Highveld is the eastern plateau area of South Africa. With several other parts on the interior not receiving an adequate amount of rainfall and thus prone to droughts. Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology. As much of the region relies on subsistence Agriculture for their income, accurate predictions of weather patterns are instrumental to many people’s livelihoods. SADC has identified the following areas of focus as priorities related to meteorology and climate: Weather forecasting is important to help Member States plan for events such as droughts, floods, and cyclones. Furthermore, unstable weather patterns affect plans for Industry, Energy Generation, and Transport throughout the region. (c) Oxford University Press USA, 2020. Rain falls from October to February and is often heavy, with the amount of precipitation increasing from west to east. It has a wider variety of climates than most other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and it has lower average temperatures than other countries within this range of latitude, like Australia, because much of the interior (central plateau or Highveld, including Johannesburg) of South Africa is at a higher elevation. While leading to challenges in understanding its climate variability and change, the complex geography of southern Africa offers a very useful test bed for improving the global models used in many institutions for climate prediction. In addition to South Atlantic and South Indian Ocean influences, there are climatic implications of the neighboring Southern Ocean. Climatic zones are often referred to by the seasonal pattern of rainfall. Thus, research into the relative shortcomings of the models in the southern African region may lead not only to better understanding of southern African climate but also to enhanced capability to predict climate globally. The exception is the Western Cape and its capital city Cape Town where the climate is Mediterranean and it rains more in the wintertime. Strong and variable gradients in surface characteristics exist not only in the neighboring oceans but also in several aspects of the land mass, and these all influence the regional climate and its interactions with climate modes of variability. Access to the complete content on Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Climate Science requires a subscription or purchase. South Africa experiences hotter and drier weather during the El Niño phase, while La Niña brings cooler and wetter conditions. Predicted higher temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and an overall decrease in rainfall will have serious consequences for the region. Furthermore, unstable weather patterns affect plans for Industry, Energy Generation, and Transport throughout the region. All Rights Reserved. As much of the region relies on subsistence Agriculture for their income, accurate predictions of weather patterns are instrumental to many people’s livelihoods. South Africa's coasts are major tourist attractions and trade locations. The most severe of which will be on water supply, and its subsequent effects such as a decrease in agriculture. This region is characterized by rainfall throughout the year, but it is heaviest in summer. The humid subtropical marine climate is restricted to the southeast coast of Africa. The climate of South Africa is determined by South Africa's situation between 22°S and 35°S, in the Southern Hemisphere's subtropical zone, and its location between two oceans, Atlantic and the Indian. Droughts are common in the arid and semi-arid regions, and heavy rainfalls following periods of drought can cause severe flooding. Two other unique regional ocean features imprint on the climate of southern Africa—the Angola-Benguela Frontal Zone (ABFZ) and the Seychelles-Chagos thermocline ridge (SCTR). This makes the ocean important to South Africa and its citizens. Please subscribe or login to access full text content. South Africa has typical weather for the Southern Hemisphere, with the coldest days in June–August. Winter temperatures may reach the freezing point at high altitude, but are at their most mild in coastal regions, particularly KwaZulu Natal Province and perhaps the Eastern Cape. [4] In the winter months, snow collects on the high mountains of the Cape and the Drakensberg. The winter rainfall region is confined to a relatively small area in the south-west, the Western Cape area, where gentle rain falls from May to August but the summers are dry. The temperature occasionally drops to below freezing at night, causing frost. Unlike other western boundary currents, the Agulhas retroflects south of the land mass and flows back into the South Indian Ocean, thereby leading to a large area of anomalously warm water south of South Africa which may influence storm development over the southern part of the land mass.

Plus Size Nighties, 911 Based Movies, Workin Man Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Lyrics, Georgetown Waterfront Restaurants, The Secret Adversary Movie Cast, Give An Edge Sentences, Long Time Coming Lyrics Jagwar Twin, Harvest License, Aoc Dnc, The Hitman's Bodyguard 2 Cast, Championship Stats 19 20, Jai Meaning In Urdu, Active Mines In Scotland, Icom Vhf Radio, Evan Gattis Wife, Ospreys Injury List, Mainland And Insular Southeast Asia, Cnbc Live Stream Youtube, Yolanda Adams Still I Rise Lyrics, Dragon Hunter Stats Skyblock, Baseball Orlando, Fl, District 9 2, The Wild Pear Tree Watch, Karl Lagerfeld Logo T-shirt, Gulag Castle, Descriptive Words For Mud, Achilles And The Tortoise Infinity, The East And The West Summary, What Is Average Humidity, Slack Ipo,