Category: Extremes affecting South Africa

Cold spell occuring from October 15 2021 to October 18 2021 at -35.0°S 21.5°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: October 15 2021 to October 18 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.1 °C
  • Mean temperature: 13.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -7.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 7.7 °C

Event center: -35.0°S 21.5°E

Area affected: 111812 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_2021-Oct-15_to_2021-Oct-18_21.5_-35.0

Heat wave occuring from October 11 2021 to October 18 2021 at -24.5°S 37.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Eswatini
  • Lesotho
  • Mozambique
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 8 days

Time span: October 11 2021 to October 18 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 4.1 °C
  • Mean temperature: 25.6 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 10.1 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 34.5 °C

Event center: -24.5°S 37.5°E

Area affected: 1228209 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_2021-Oct-11_to_2021-Oct-18_37.5_-24.5

Cold spell occuring from October 02 2021 to October 05 2021 at -34.5°S 25.0°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: October 02 2021 to October 05 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.5 °C
  • Mean temperature: 12.6 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -7.8 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 6.0 °C

Event center: -34.5°S 25.0°E

Area affected: 646483 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_2021-Oct-02_to_2021-Oct-05_25.0_-34.5

Heat wave occuring from September 23 2021 to September 29 2021 at -30.5°S 27.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Botswana
  • Lesotho
  • South Africa

Duration: 7 days

Time span: September 23 2021 to September 29 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 5.7 °C
  • Mean temperature: 22.8 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 8.4 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 28.1 °C

Event center: -30.5°S 27.5°E

Area affected: 453044 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_2021-Sep-23_to_2021-Sep-29_27.5_-30.5

Heat wave occuring from September 09 2021 to September 13 2021 at -32.5°S 24.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 5 days

Time span: September 09 2021 to September 13 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 7.0 °C
  • Mean temperature: 23.6 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 12.8 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 27.8 °C

Event center: -32.5°S 24.5°E

Area affected: 312774 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_2021-Sep-09_to_2021-Sep-13_24.5_-32.5

Cold spell occuring from August 27 2021 to August 30 2021 at -19.0°S 15.5°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: August 27 2021 to August 30 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -6.0 °C
  • Mean temperature: 14.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -10.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 4.1 °C

Event center: -19.0°S 15.5°E

Area affected: 447866 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_2021-Aug-27_to_2021-Aug-30_15.5_-19.0

Cold spell occuring from August 27 2021 to August 29 2021 at -34.5°S 21.0°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: August 27 2021 to August 29 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.0 °C
  • Mean temperature: 11.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 2.8 °C

Event center: -34.5°S 21.0°E

Area affected: 347769 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_2021-Aug-27_to_2021-Aug-29_21.0_-34.5

Cold spell occuring from August 13 2021 to August 15 2021 at -27.5°S 31.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Eswatini
  • Mozambique
  • South Africa

Duration: 3 days

Time span: August 13 2021 to August 15 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.1 °C
  • Mean temperature: 13.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -6.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 7.8 °C

Event center: -27.5°S 31.5°E

Area affected: 58181 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_2021-Aug-13_to_2021-Aug-15_31.5_-27.5

Cold spell occuring from July 20 2021 to August 14 2021 at -11.5°S 22.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Burundi
  • Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
  • Eswatini
  • Lesotho
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania, United Republic of
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 26 days

Time span: July 20 2021 to August 14 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 14.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -9.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature: -4.1 °C

Event center: -11.5°S 22.5°E

Area affected: 8651959 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_2021-Jul-20_to_2021-Aug-14_22.5_-11.5

Cold spell occuring from July 12 2021 to July 16 2021 at -30.0°S 26.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Botswana
  • Lesotho
  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 5 days

Time span: July 12 2021 to July 16 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -5.6 °C
  • Mean temperature: 6.4 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.6 °C
  • Minimum temperature: -2.4 °C

Event center: -30.0°S 26.5°E

Area affected: 736343 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_2021-Jul-12_to_2021-Jul-16_26.5_-30.0