Category: Extremes affecting South Africa

Cold spell occuring from October 20 2025 to October 24 2025 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):

  • Botswana
  • Mozambique
  • South Africa
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 5 days

Time span: October 20 2025 to October 24 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -5.2 °C
  • Mean temperature: 19.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 12.9 °C

Event center: -19.0°S 27.0°E

Area affected: 484379 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-Oct-20_to_2025-Oct-24_27.0_-19.0

Heat wave occuring from October 12 2025 to October 19 2025 at -19.5°S 26.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 8 days

Time span: October 12 2025 to October 19 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 3.6 °C
  • Mean temperature: 29.8 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 5.3 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 32.7 °C

Event center: -19.5°S 26.0°E

Area affected: 463783 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-Oct-12_to_2025-Oct-19_26.0_-19.5

Heat wave occuring from September 07 2025 to September 13 2025 at -35.5°S 21.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • South Africa

Duration: 7 days

Time span: September 07 2025 to September 13 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 2.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 17.2 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 5.9 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 20.9 °C

Event center: -35.5°S 21.0°E

Area affected: 660111 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-Sep-07_to_2025-Sep-13_21.0_-35.5

Heat wave occuring from September 07 2025 to September 11 2025 at -30.0°S 31.0°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: September 07 2025 to September 11 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 2.9 °C
  • Mean temperature: 22.1 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 7.2 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 26.3 °C

Event center: -30.0°S 31.0°E

Area affected: 87192 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-Sep-07_to_2025-Sep-11_31.0_-30.0

Heat wave occuring from August 25 2025 to September 06 2025 at -25.0°S 30.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Eswatini
  • Lesotho
  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 13 days

Time span: August 25 2025 to September 06 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 3.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 20.3 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 12.9 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 31.1 °C

Event center: -25.0°S 30.0°E

Area affected: 1634868 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-Aug-25_to_2025-Sep-06_30.0_-25.0

Heat wave occuring from August 12 2025 to August 15 2025 at -27.0°S 23.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 4 days

Time span: August 12 2025 to August 15 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 4.9 °C
  • Mean temperature: 18.5 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 6.5 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 21.8 °C

Event center: -27.0°S 23.0°E

Area affected: 124160 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-Aug-12_to_2025-Aug-15_23.0_-27.0

Heat wave occuring from July 13 2025 to July 22 2025 at -27.5°S 27.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Botswana
  • Lesotho
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 10 days

Time span: July 13 2025 to July 22 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 3.8 °C
  • Mean temperature: 15.9 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 7.0 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 19.9 °C

Event center: -27.5°S 27.0°E

Area affected: 508985 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-Jul-13_to_2025-Jul-22_27.0_-27.5

Cold spell occuring from July 08 2025 to September 05 2025 at -7.5°S 17.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Burundi
  • Congo
  • Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
  • Côte d’Ivoire
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eswatini
  • Gabon
  • Kenya
  • Liberia
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania, United Republic of
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 60 days

Time span: July 08 2025 to September 05 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -2.3 °C
  • Mean temperature: 19.6 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -9.7 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 5.0 °C

Event center: -7.5°S 17.0°E

Area affected: 8144949 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-Jul-08_to_2025-Sep-05_17.0_-7.5

Cold spell occuring from June 08 2025 to June 15 2025 at -20.5°S 20.0°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: 8 days

Time span: June 08 2025 to June 15 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -4.9 °C
  • Mean temperature: 10.0 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 4.6 °C

Event center: -20.5°S 20.0°E

Area affected: 614289 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-Jun-08_to_2025-Jun-15_20.0_-20.5

Cold spell occuring from May 21 2025 to May 27 2025 at -24.5°S 27.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Cold spell

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

  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 7 days

Time span: May 21 2025 to May 27 2025

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: -3.9 °C
  • Mean temperature: 12.9 °C
  • Minimum temperature anomaly: -8.1 °C
  • Minimum temperature: 8.9 °C

Event center: -24.5°S 27.0°E

Area affected: 488517 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-May-21_to_2025-May-27_27.0_-24.5