Category: Cold spells affecting Zambia

9 cold spells identified in Zambia since 2020

Cold spell occuring from August 13 2026 to August 22 2026 at -10.5°S 28.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Congo DRC
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 10 days

Time span: August 13 2026 to August 22 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -2.6 °C
  • Mean temperature: 19.6 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -4.8 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 12.8 °C

Event center: -10.5°S 28.5°E

Area affected: 1426835 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-13_to_2026-Aug-22_28.5_-10.5

Cold spell occuring from July 27 2026 to August 12 2026 at -14.5°S 23.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • Zambia

Duration: 17 days

Time span: July 27 2026 to August 12 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -2.7 °C
  • Mean temperature: 17.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -4.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 14.9 °C

Event center: -14.5°S 23.0°E

Area affected: 237951 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-Jul-27_to_2026-Aug-12_23.0_-14.5

Cold spell occuring from July 23 2026 to August 22 2026 at -7.5°S 17.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Angola
  • Congo DRC
  • Zambia

Duration: 31 days

Time span: July 23 2026 to August 22 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -1.9 °C
  • Mean temperature: 21.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -3.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 15.2 °C

Event center: -7.5°S 17.0°E

Area affected: 783998 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-Jul-23_to_2026-Aug-22_17.0_-7.5

Cold spell occuring from July 16 2026 to July 21 2026 at -10.0°S 28.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Congo DRC
  • Zambia

Duration: 6 days

Time span: July 16 2026 to July 21 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -2.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 16.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -3.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 14.2 °C

Event center: -10.0°S 28.5°E

Area affected: 109466 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-Jul-16_to_2026-Jul-21_28.5_-10.0

Cold spell occuring from July 08 2026 to July 12 2026 at -14.5°S 23.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • Zambia

Duration: 5 days

Time span: July 08 2026 to July 12 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -2.3 °C
  • Mean temperature: 15.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -3.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 14.1 °C

Event center: -14.5°S 23.5°E

Area affected: 118882 km$^2$



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

Event ID: Cold_spell_2026-Jul-08_to_2026-Jul-12_23.5_-14.5

Cold spell occuring from July 05 2026 to July 22 2026 at -7.5°S 18.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Angola
  • Congo DRC
  • Zambia

Duration: 18 days

Time span: July 05 2026 to July 22 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -1.9 °C
  • Mean temperature: 21.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -3.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 15.1 °C

Event center: -7.5°S 18.0°E

Area affected: 440936 km$^2$



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

Event ID: Cold_spell_2026-Jul-05_to_2026-Jul-22_18.0_-7.5

Cold spell occuring from May 26 2026 to June 03 2026 at -10.5°S 23.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Angola
  • Congo DRC
  • Zambia

Duration: 9 days

Time span: May 26 2026 to June 03 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -1.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 20.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -3.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 16.2 °C

Event center: -10.5°S 23.0°E

Area affected: 596522 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-May-26_to_2026-Jun-03_23.0_-10.5

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

Cold spell occuring from June 21 2026 to July 01 2026 at -8.0°S 28.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Congo DRC
  • Zambia

Duration: 11 days

Time span: June 21 2026 to July 01 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -2.1 °C
  • Mean temperature: 18.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -3.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 13.5 °C

Event center: -8.0°S 28.5°E

Area affected: 380530 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-Jun-21_to_2026-Jul-01_28.5_-8.0