Category: Extremes affecting South Africa

Cold spell occuring from March 22 2021 to March 25 2021 at -22.5°S 30.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Mozambique
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 4 days

Time span: March 22 2021 to March 25 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.1 °C
  • Mean temperature: 21.3 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -4.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 17.7 °C

Event center: -22.5°S 30.0°E

Area affected: 68231 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-Mar-22_to_2021-Mar-25_30.0_-22.5

Heat wave occuring from March 07 2021 to March 15 2021 at -27.0°S 29.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Eswatini
  • Lesotho
  • Mozambique
  • South Africa

Duration: 9 days

Time span: March 07 2021 to March 15 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 3.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 23.8 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 6.2 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 30.7 °C

Event center: -27.0°S 29.5°E

Area affected: 296197 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-Mar-07_to_2021-Mar-15_29.5_-27.0

Heat wave occuring from February 28 2021 to March 03 2021 at -34.5°S 20.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • South Africa

Duration: 4 days

Time span: February 28 2021 to March 03 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 2.5 °C
  • Mean temperature: 23.3 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 5.5 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 26.4 °C

Event center: -34.5°S 20.0°E

Area affected: 58558 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-Feb-28_to_2021-Mar-03_20.0_-34.5

Cold spell occuring from February 25 2021 to March 05 2021 at -19.0°S 27.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

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

Duration: 9 days

Time span: February 25 2021 to March 05 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 20.4 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -7.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 13.8 °C

Event center: -19.0°S 27.0°E

Area affected: 2058918 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-Feb-25_to_2021-Mar-05_27.0_-19.0

Cold spell occuring from February 21 2021 to February 25 2021 at -23.0°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: 5 days

Time span: February 21 2021 to February 25 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 22.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -4.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 20.4 °C

Event center: -23.0°S 21.0°E

Area affected: 135703 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-Feb-21_to_2021-Feb-25_21.0_-23.0

Cold spell occuring from February 15 2021 to March 02 2021 at -25.5°S 13.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 16 days

Time span: February 15 2021 to March 02 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -2.3 °C
  • Mean temperature: 17.6 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -7.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 13.5 °C

Event center: -25.5°S 13.0°E

Area affected: 275486 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-Feb-15_to_2021-Mar-02_13.0_-25.5

Cold spell occuring from January 29 2021 to February 18 2021 at -21.0°S 21.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 21 days

Time span: January 29 2021 to February 18 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.9 °C
  • Mean temperature: 21.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 15.5 °C

Event center: -21.0°S 21.5°E

Area affected: 1133918 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-Jan-29_to_2021-Feb-18_21.5_-21.0

Heat wave occuring from January 21 2021 to January 24 2021 at -29.5°S 28.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Lesotho
  • South Africa

Duration: 4 days

Time span: January 21 2021 to January 24 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 4.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 26.2 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 7.1 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 32.6 °C

Event center: -29.5°S 28.5°E

Area affected: 215541 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-Jan-21_to_2021-Jan-24_28.5_-29.5

Cold spell occuring from January 14 2021 to February 14 2021 at -27.0°S 15.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 32 days

Time span: January 14 2021 to February 14 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -1.6 °C
  • Mean temperature: 16.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -3.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 14.4 °C

Event center: -27.0°S 15.0°E

Area affected: 167050 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-Jan-14_to_2021-Feb-14_15.0_-27.0

Cold spell occuring from January 09 2021 to January 17 2021 at -22.5°S 16.0°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 09 2021 to January 17 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.5 °C
  • Mean temperature: 22.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -7.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 17.7 °C

Event center: -22.5°S 16.0°E

Area affected: 300018 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-Jan-09_to_2021-Jan-17_16.0_-22.5