Category: Extremes affecting South Africa

(ongoing) Cold spell occuring from April 15 2026 to May 03 2026 at -15.0°S 12.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Angola
  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 19 days

Time span: April 15 2026 to May 03 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.7 °C
  • Mean temperature: 16.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 6.0 °C

Event center: -15.0°S 12.0°E

Area affected: 777355 km$^2$


Fig. 1: unavailable since event is ongoing.



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

Event ID: Cold_spell_2026-Apr-15_to_2026-May-03_12.0_-15.0

(ongoing) Heat wave occuring from October 16 2022 to May 03 2026 at 10.5°N 294.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Antarctica
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Azores
  • Bahamas
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cabo Verde
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Canarias
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Chile
  • China
  • Colombia
  • Congo
  • Congo DRC
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Côte d’Ivoire
  • Denmark
  • Djibouti
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Estonia
  • Eswatini
  • Ethiopia
  • Falkland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • French Guiana
  • French Southern Territories
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Greece
  • Greenland
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Madagascar
  • Madeira
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Mali
  • Martinique
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Moldova
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Namibia
  • Nepal
  • Netherlands
  • New Caledonia
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • North Korea
  • North Macedonia
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Palau
  • Palestinian Territory
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Puerto Rico
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Russian Federation
  • Rwanda
  • Réunion
  • Saint Eustatius
  • Saint Lucia
  • Samoa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Sierra Leone
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Solomon Islands
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • South Korea
  • South Sudan
  • Spain
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Syria
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Timor-Leste
  • Togo
  • Tunisia
  • Turkiye
  • Turkmenistan
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Uruguay
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 1296 days

Time span: October 16 2022 to May 03 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 3.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 18.1 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 33.2 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 46.7 °C

Event center: 10.5°N 294.0°E

Area affected: 509588681 km$^2$


Fig. 1: unavailable since event is ongoing.



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

Event ID: Heat_wave_2022-Oct-16_to_2026-May-03_294.0_10.5

Cold spell occuring from April 26 2026 to May 02 2026 at -33.0°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: 7 days

Time span: April 26 2026 to May 02 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -5.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 11.4 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.3 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 5.2 °C

Event center: -33.0°S 19.0°E

Area affected: 441261 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-26_to_2026-May-02_19.0_-33.0

Heat wave occuring from February 19 2026 to April 29 2026 at -24.0°S 9.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Angola
  • Antarctica
  • Benin
  • Cameroon
  • Congo
  • Congo DRC
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eswatini
  • French Southern Territories
  • Gabon
  • Ghana
  • Lesotho
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 70 days

Time span: February 19 2026 to April 29 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 3.7 °C
  • Mean temperature: 11.3 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 22.4 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 34.8 °C

Event center: -24.0°S 9.0°E

Area affected: 37900007 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: Heat_wave_2026-Feb-19_to_2026-Apr-29_9.0_-24.0

Heat wave occuring from January 10 2026 to January 16 2026 at -31.0°S 24.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 7 days

Time span: January 10 2026 to January 16 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 5.2 °C
  • Mean temperature: 30.4 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 9.0 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 34.1 °C

Event center: -31.0°S 24.0°E

Area affected: 339460 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: Heat_wave_2026-Jan-10_to_2026-Jan-16_24.0_-31.0

Cold spell occuring from March 06 2026 to March 08 2026 at -26.5°S 21.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Botswana
  • South Africa

Duration: 3 days

Time span: March 06 2026 to March 08 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -5.2 °C
  • Mean temperature: 21.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -7.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 16.7 °C

Event center: -26.5°S 21.0°E

Area affected: 87546 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-Mar-06_to_2026-Mar-08_21.0_-26.5

Cold spell occuring from March 05 2026 to March 17 2026 at -25.0°S 24.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Botswana
  • Eswatini
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 13 days

Time span: March 05 2026 to March 17 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.7 °C
  • Mean temperature: 20.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -6.8 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 11.7 °C

Event center: -25.0°S 24.5°E

Area affected: 1462513 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-Mar-05_to_2026-Mar-17_24.5_-25.0

Cold spell occuring from February 26 2026 to March 05 2026 at -33.0°S 19.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 8 days

Time span: February 26 2026 to March 05 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -5.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 16.4 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -10.8 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 9.8 °C

Event center: -33.0°S 19.5°E

Area affected: 191951 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-Feb-26_to_2026-Mar-05_19.5_-33.0

Cold spell occuring from February 23 2026 to February 26 2026 at -30.0°S 21.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 4 days

Time span: February 23 2026 to February 26 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 22.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -7.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 17.9 °C

Event center: -30.0°S 21.0°E

Area affected: 225096 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-Feb-23_to_2026-Feb-26_21.0_-30.0

Cold spell occuring from February 12 2026 to February 19 2026 at -18.0°S 21.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 8 days

Time span: February 12 2026 to February 19 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 21.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -7.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 12.5 °C

Event center: -18.0°S 21.0°E

Area affected: 1448815 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-Feb-12_to_2026-Feb-19_21.0_-18.0