Category: Cold spells affecting South Africa

2 cold spells identified in South Africa since 2020

Cold spell occuring from June 12 2010 to June 25 2010 at -25.0°S 29.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

Countries affected (identified with ArcGIS Online; provided only for geographical reference):

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Congo DRC
  • Eswatini
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 14 days

Time span: June 12 2010 to June 25 2010

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 11.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -10.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature: -5.4 °C

Event center: -25.0°S 29.0°E

Area affected: 6462875 km$^2$


Fig. 1: Map of most extreme temperature anomalies (standardized) experienced during the event. The purple star indicates the center of the extreme event. Green hatching illustrates all areas under the effect of extremes at some time during the event.



Fig. 2: Evolution of temperature at the center of the event. The climatological percentile distribution is illustrated with color shadings.



Fig. 3: Maps illustrating the evolution of standardized temperature anomalies during the event.

Event ID: Cold_spell_2010-Jun-12_to_2010-Jun-25_29.0_-25.0

Cold spell occuring from April 23 2010 to April 27 2010 at -24.0°S 27.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

Countries affected (identified with ArcGIS Online; provided only for geographical reference):

  • Botswana
  • Eswatini
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 5 days

Time span: April 23 2010 to April 27 2010

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 15.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -7.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 8.3 °C

Event center: -24.0°S 27.5°E

Area affected: 409727 km$^2$


Fig. 1: Map of most extreme temperature anomalies (standardized) experienced during the event. The purple star indicates the center of the extreme event. Green hatching illustrates all areas under the effect of extremes at some time during the event.



Fig. 2: Evolution of temperature at the center of the event. The climatological percentile distribution is illustrated with color shadings.



Fig. 3: Maps illustrating the evolution of standardized temperature anomalies during the event.

Event ID: Cold_spell_2010-Apr-23_to_2010-Apr-27_27.5_-24.0

Cold spell occuring from April 22 2010 to April 24 2010 at -36.5°S 27.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

Countries affected (identified with ArcGIS Online; provided only for geographical reference):

  • South Africa

Duration: 3 days

Time span: April 22 2010 to April 24 2010

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.1 °C
  • Mean temperature: 14.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 4.9 °C

Event center: -36.5°S 27.5°E

Area affected: 234754 km$^2$


Fig. 1: Map of most extreme temperature anomalies (standardized) experienced during the event. The purple star indicates the center of the extreme event. Green hatching illustrates all areas under the effect of extremes at some time during the event.



Fig. 2: Evolution of temperature at the center of the event. The climatological percentile distribution is illustrated with color shadings.



Fig. 3: Maps illustrating the evolution of standardized temperature anomalies during the event.

Event ID: Cold_spell_2010-Apr-22_to_2010-Apr-24_27.5_-36.5

Cold spell occuring from April 04 2010 to April 09 2010 at -21.5°S 13.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

Countries affected (identified with ArcGIS Online; provided only for geographical reference):

  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 6 days

Time span: April 04 2010 to April 09 2010

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -2.0 °C
  • Mean temperature: 15.8 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -6.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 13.7 °C

Event center: -21.5°S 13.5°E

Area affected: 157964 km$^2$


Fig. 1: Map of most extreme temperature anomalies (standardized) experienced during the event. The purple star indicates the center of the extreme event. Green hatching illustrates all areas under the effect of extremes at some time during the event.



Fig. 2: Evolution of temperature at the center of the event. The climatological percentile distribution is illustrated with color shadings.



Fig. 3: Maps illustrating the evolution of standardized temperature anomalies during the event.

Event ID: Cold_spell_2010-Apr-04_to_2010-Apr-09_13.5_-21.5

Cold spell occuring from February 23 2010 to February 26 2010 at -30.5°S 22.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

Countries affected (identified with ArcGIS Online; provided only for geographical reference):

  • South Africa

Duration: 4 days

Time span: February 23 2010 to February 26 2010

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.9 °C
  • Mean temperature: 20.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -6.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 17.0 °C

Event center: -30.5°S 22.0°E

Area affected: 77323 km$^2$


Fig. 1: Map of most extreme temperature anomalies (standardized) experienced during the event. The purple star indicates the center of the extreme event. Green hatching illustrates all areas under the effect of extremes at some time during the event.



Fig. 2: Evolution of temperature at the center of the event. The climatological percentile distribution is illustrated with color shadings.



Fig. 3: Maps illustrating the evolution of standardized temperature anomalies during the event.

Event ID: Cold_spell_2010-Feb-23_to_2010-Feb-26_22.0_-30.5

Cold spell occuring from January 18 2010 to January 26 2010 at -24.5°S 19.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

Countries affected (identified with ArcGIS Online; provided only for geographical reference):

  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 9 days

Time span: January 18 2010 to January 26 2010

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.2 °C
  • Mean temperature: 21.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -5.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 18.0 °C

Event center: -24.5°S 19.0°E

Area affected: 382007 km$^2$


Fig. 1: Map of most extreme temperature anomalies (standardized) experienced during the event. The purple star indicates the center of the extreme event. Green hatching illustrates all areas under the effect of extremes at some time during the event.



Fig. 2: Evolution of temperature at the center of the event. The climatological percentile distribution is illustrated with color shadings.



Fig. 3: Maps illustrating the evolution of standardized temperature anomalies during the event.

Event ID: Cold_spell_2010-Jan-18_to_2010-Jan-26_19.0_-24.5

Cold spell occuring from August 07 2026 to August 17 2026 at -30.0°S 28.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

Countries affected (identified with ArcGIS Online; provided only for geographical reference):

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Eswatini
  • Lesotho
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 11 days

Time span: August 07 2026 to August 17 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.5 °C
  • Mean temperature: 12.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -9.4 °C
  • Minimum temperature: -3.5 °C

Event center: -30.0°S 28.5°E

Area affected: 1044184 km$^2$


Fig. 1: Map of most extreme temperature anomalies (standardized) experienced during the event. The purple star indicates the center of the extreme event. Green hatching illustrates all areas under the effect of extremes at some time during the event.



Fig. 2: Evolution of temperature at the center of the event. The climatological percentile distribution is illustrated with color shadings.



Fig. 3: Maps illustrating the evolution of standardized temperature anomalies during the event.

Event ID: Cold_spell_2026-Aug-07_to_2026-Aug-17_28.5_-30.0

Cold spell occuring from April 15 2026 to May 28 2026 at -17.0°S 11.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

Countries affected (identified with ArcGIS Online; provided only for geographical reference):

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Lesotho
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zambia

Duration: 44 days

Time span: April 15 2026 to May 28 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 15.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -10.8 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 0.2 °C

Event center: -17.0°S 11.5°E

Area affected: 2931247 km$^2$


Fig. 1: Map of most extreme temperature anomalies (standardized) experienced during the event. The purple star indicates the center of the extreme event. Green hatching illustrates all areas under the effect of extremes at some time during the event.



Fig. 2: Evolution of temperature at the center of the event. The climatological percentile distribution is illustrated with color shadings.



Fig. 3: Maps illustrating the evolution of standardized temperature anomalies during the event.

Event ID: Cold_spell_2026-Apr-15_to_2026-May-28_11.5_-17.0