Category: Heat waves affecting South Africa

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

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

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

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

Heat wave occuring from September 24 2020 to November 19 2020 at -12.0°S 287.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Angola
  • Argentina
  • Bolivia, Plurinational State of
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Burundi
  • Colombia
  • Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
  • Costa Rica
  • Ecuador
  • Eswatini
  • Honduras
  • Lesotho
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nicaragua
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Rwanda
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania, United Republic of
  • Uganda
  • Uruguay
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 57 days

Time span: September 24 2020 to November 19 2020

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 3.4 °C
  • Mean temperature: 27.3 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 14.9 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 36.5 °C

Event center: -12.0°S 287.5°E

Area affected: 22419625 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-Sep-24_to_2020-Nov-19_287.5_-12.0

Heat wave occuring from September 04 2020 to September 12 2020 at -27.5°S 17.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Botswana
  • Namibia
  • South Africa

Duration: 9 days

Time span: September 04 2020 to September 12 2020

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 6.7 °C
  • Mean temperature: 24.8 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 13.1 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 31.0 °C

Event center: -27.5°S 17.5°E

Area affected: 474035 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-Sep-04_to_2020-Sep-12_17.5_-27.5