Category: Extremes affecting South Africa

Heat wave occuring from January 25 2026 to February 21 2026 at -19.5°S 2.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Eswatini
  • Lesotho
  • Mozambique
  • South Africa

Duration: 28 days

Time span: January 25 2026 to February 21 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 1.7 °C
  • Mean temperature: 23.6 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 5.6 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 30.3 °C

Event center: -19.5°S 2.0°E

Area affected: 9172668 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-25_to_2026-Feb-21_2.0_-19.5

Heat wave occuring from January 23 2026 to February 08 2026 at -29.0°S 23.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Botswana
  • Eswatini
  • Lesotho
  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 17 days

Time span: January 23 2026 to February 08 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 4.0 °C
  • Mean temperature: 28.1 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 9.1 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 34.2 °C

Event center: -29.0°S 23.5°E

Area affected: 638459 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-23_to_2026-Feb-08_23.5_-29.0

Cold spell occuring from January 18 2026 to January 26 2026 at -21.5°S 25.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

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

Duration: 9 days

Time span: January 18 2026 to January 26 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.5 °C
  • Mean temperature: 20.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -9.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 14.5 °C

Event center: -21.5°S 25.5°E

Area affected: 879109 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-Jan-18_to_2026-Jan-26_25.5_-21.5

Cold spell occuring from January 15 2026 to February 01 2026 at -32.0°S 18.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 18 days

Time span: January 15 2026 to February 01 2026

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.0 °C
  • Mean temperature: 17.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -7.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 14.0 °C

Event center: -32.0°S 18.0°E

Area affected: 294280 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-Jan-15_to_2026-Feb-01_18.0_-32.0

Heat wave occuring from December 29 2025 to December 31 2025 at -31.5°S 23.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 3 days

Time span: December 29 2025 to December 31 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 4.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 30.6 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 6.0 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 33.2 °C

Event center: -31.5°S 23.0°E

Area affected: 59080 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_2025-Dec-29_to_2025-Dec-31_23.0_-31.5

Heat wave occuring from December 18 2025 to December 22 2025 at -26.5°S 15.5°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: December 18 2025 to December 22 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 4.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 28.4 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 6.6 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 31.9 °C

Event center: -26.5°S 15.5°E

Area affected: 173033 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_2025-Dec-18_to_2025-Dec-22_15.5_-26.5

Cold spell occuring from December 11 2025 to December 24 2025 at -23.0°S 22.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

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

Duration: 14 days

Time span: December 11 2025 to December 24 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.1 °C
  • Mean temperature: 22.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -6.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 19.3 °C

Event center: -23.0°S 22.5°E

Area affected: 889785 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_2025-Dec-11_to_2025-Dec-24_22.5_-23.0

Heat wave occuring from November 20 2025 to November 22 2025 at -31.0°S 19.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • South Africa

Duration: 3 days

Time span: November 20 2025 to November 22 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 6.2 °C
  • Mean temperature: 27.4 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 9.1 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 31.3 °C

Event center: -31.0°S 19.5°E

Area affected: 69512 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_2025-Nov-20_to_2025-Nov-22_19.5_-31.0

Cold spell occuring from November 15 2025 to November 18 2025 at -23.5°S 27.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Botswana
  • Mozambique
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 4 days

Time span: November 15 2025 to November 18 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -5.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 18.6 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -9.6 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 13.1 °C

Event center: -23.5°S 27.0°E

Area affected: 289929 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_2025-Nov-15_to_2025-Nov-18_27.0_-23.5

Heat wave occuring from November 02 2025 to November 16 2025 at -35.5°S 18.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 15 days

Time span: November 02 2025 to November 16 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 2.7 °C
  • Mean temperature: 17.5 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 10.6 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 33.1 °C

Event center: -35.5°S 18.5°E

Area affected: 6000944 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_2025-Nov-02_to_2025-Nov-16_18.5_-35.5