Category: Extremes affecting South Africa

Cold spell occuring from December 31 2020 to January 06 2021 at -29.5°S 24.0°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: 7 days

Time span: December 31 2020 to January 06 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -5.0 °C
  • Mean temperature: 21.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.5 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 11.9 °C

Event center: -29.5°S 24.0°E

Area affected: 415933 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_2020-Dec-31_to_2021-Jan-06_24.0_-29.5

Heat wave occuring from December 26 2020 to December 30 2020 at -31.5°S 24.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Lesotho
  • South Africa

Duration: 5 days

Time span: December 26 2020 to December 30 2020

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 3.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 25.2 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 6.0 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 31.0 °C

Event center: -31.5°S 24.5°E

Area affected: 71958 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_2020-Dec-26_to_2020-Dec-30_24.5_-31.5

Heat wave occuring from December 17 2020 to December 20 2020 at -30.5°S 20.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 4 days

Time span: December 17 2020 to December 20 2020

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 4.9 °C
  • Mean temperature: 31.5 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 7.0 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 34.6 °C

Event center: -30.5°S 20.5°E

Area affected: 67552 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_2020-Dec-17_to_2020-Dec-20_20.5_-30.5

Cold spell occuring from December 13 2020 to December 20 2020 at -23.5°S 26.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 8 days

Time span: December 13 2020 to December 20 2020

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.2 °C
  • Mean temperature: 21.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -6.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 18.8 °C

Event center: -23.5°S 26.0°E

Area affected: 449245 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_2020-Dec-13_to_2020-Dec-20_26.0_-23.5

Heat wave occuring from December 11 2020 to March 16 2021 at -13.5°S 16.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Algeria
  • Angola
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Benin
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Central African Republic
  • Congo
  • Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
  • Croatia
  • Czechia
  • Côte d’Ivoire
  • Denmark
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Estonia
  • Eswatini
  • Finland
  • France
  • Gabon
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Greenland
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Liberia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Montenegro
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Netherlands
  • Nigeria
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Russian Federation
  • Réunion
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Spain
  • Svalbard and Jan Mayen
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Tanzania, United Republic of
  • Togo
  • Tunisia
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 96 days

Time span: December 11 2020 to March 16 2021

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 6.6 °C
  • Mean temperature: 6.9 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 23.6 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 39.6 °C

Event center: -13.5°S 16.0°E

Area affected: 45189614 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_2020-Dec-11_to_2021-Mar-16_16.0_-13.5

Heat wave occuring from December 10 2020 to December 15 2020 at -24.5°S 33.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Eswatini
  • Mozambique
  • South Africa

Duration: 6 days

Time span: December 10 2020 to December 15 2020

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 3.9 °C
  • Mean temperature: 28.4 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 6.5 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 32.4 °C

Event center: -24.5°S 33.5°E

Area affected: 190992 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_2020-Dec-10_to_2020-Dec-15_33.5_-24.5

Heat wave occuring from November 01 2020 to November 05 2020 at -34.5°S 17.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • South Africa

Duration: 5 days

Time span: November 01 2020 to November 05 2020

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 2.6 °C
  • Mean temperature: 19.7 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 7.9 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 28.6 °C

Event center: -34.5°S 17.0°E

Area affected: 268683 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_2020-Nov-01_to_2020-Nov-05_17.0_-34.5

Cold spell occuring from October 10 2020 to October 13 2020 at -23.5°S 24.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Botswana
  • South Africa

Duration: 4 days

Time span: October 10 2020 to October 13 2020

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -6.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 18.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -9.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 14.3 °C

Event center: -23.5°S 24.0°E

Area affected: 240673 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_2020-Oct-10_to_2020-Oct-13_24.0_-23.5

Cold spell occuring from October 06 2020 to October 08 2020 at -24.0°S 22.5°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: October 06 2020 to October 08 2020

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -5.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 18.6 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.2 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 16.2 °C

Event center: -24.0°S 22.5°E

Area affected: 181031 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_2020-Oct-06_to_2020-Oct-08_22.5_-24.0

Cold spell occuring from October 01 2020 to October 03 2020 at -25.5°S 18.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 3 days

Time span: October 01 2020 to October 03 2020

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -6.3 °C
  • Mean temperature: 15.6 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.3 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 12.7 °C

Event center: -25.5°S 18.5°E

Area affected: 63590 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_2020-Oct-01_to_2020-Oct-03_18.5_-25.5