Category: Heat waves affecting South Africa

8 heat waves identified in South Africa since 2020

Heat wave occuring from November 17 2011 to November 21 2011 at -19.5°S 29.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Botswana
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 5 days

Time span: November 17 2011 to November 21 2011

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 4.5 °C
  • Mean temperature: 28.8 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 5.7 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 32.7 °C

Event center: -19.5°S 29.0°E

Area affected: 153232 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_2011-Nov-17_to_2011-Nov-21_29.0_-19.5

Heat wave occuring from November 08 2011 to November 22 2011 at -21.0°S 25.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

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

Duration: 15 days

Time span: November 08 2011 to November 22 2011

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 4.3 °C
  • Mean temperature: 29.5 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 8.3 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 34.8 °C

Event center: -21.0°S 25.5°E

Area affected: 1191487 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_2011-Nov-08_to_2011-Nov-22_25.5_-21.0

Heat wave occuring from October 20 2011 to November 04 2011 at -10.5°S 36.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Congo DRC
  • Kenya
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Duration: 16 days

Time span: October 20 2011 to November 04 2011

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 3.2 °C
  • Mean temperature: 28.7 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 8.6 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 36.5 °C

Event center: -10.5°S 36.5°E

Area affected: 2367975 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_2011-Oct-20_to_2011-Nov-04_36.5_-10.5

Heat wave occuring from October 06 2011 to October 13 2011 at -28.5°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: 8 days

Time span: October 06 2011 to October 13 2011

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 7.1 °C
  • Mean temperature: 25.0 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 10.8 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 28.7 °C

Event center: -28.5°S 18.5°E

Area affected: 197396 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_2011-Oct-06_to_2011-Oct-13_18.5_-28.5

Heat wave occuring from May 23 2011 to May 25 2011 at -25.5°S 33.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Eswatini
  • Mozambique
  • South Africa

Duration: 3 days

Time span: May 23 2011 to May 25 2011

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 4.0 °C
  • Mean temperature: 24.0 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 6.4 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 27.7 °C

Event center: -25.5°S 33.0°E

Area affected: 81016 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_2011-May-23_to_2011-May-25_33.0_-25.5

Heat wave occuring from May 12 2011 to May 23 2011 at -26.0°S 32.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

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

Duration: 12 days

Time span: May 12 2011 to May 23 2011

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 2.3 °C
  • Mean temperature: 23.9 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 5.3 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 27.7 °C

Event center: -26.0°S 32.0°E

Area affected: 1300601 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_2011-May-12_to_2011-May-23_32.0_-26.0

Heat wave occuring from April 24 2011 to April 27 2011 at -27.5°S 32.0°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Eswatini
  • Mozambique
  • South Africa

Duration: 4 days

Time span: April 24 2011 to April 27 2011

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 2.5 °C
  • Mean temperature: 25.4 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 5.2 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 27.3 °C

Event center: -27.5°S 32.0°E

Area affected: 77436 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_2011-Apr-24_to_2011-Apr-27_32.0_-27.5

Heat wave occuring from April 09 2011 to April 15 2011 at -34.5°S 24.0°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: April 09 2011 to April 15 2011

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 2.1 °C
  • Mean temperature: 21.0 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 4.6 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 24.3 °C

Event center: -34.5°S 24.0°E

Area affected: 138299 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_2011-Apr-09_to_2011-Apr-15_24.0_-34.5

Heat wave occuring from April 08 2011 to April 10 2011 at -29.5°S 17.5°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: April 08 2011 to April 10 2011

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 6.0 °C
  • Mean temperature: 26.7 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 8.4 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 30.6 °C

Event center: -29.5°S 17.5°E

Area affected: 83507 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_2011-Apr-08_to_2011-Apr-10_17.5_-29.5

Heat wave occuring from March 28 2011 to April 02 2011 at -30.5°S 30.5°E

Download data: JSON

Event type: Heat wave

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

  • Lesotho
  • South Africa

Duration: 6 days

Time span: March 28 2011 to April 02 2011

Statistics over entire affected area:

  • Mean temperature anomaly: 3.0 °C
  • Mean temperature: 21.2 °C
  • Maximum temperature anomaly: 5.9 °C
  • Maximum temperature: 26.4 °C

Event center: -30.5°S 30.5°E

Area affected: 140530 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_2011-Mar-28_to_2011-Apr-02_30.5_-30.5