Three lives in the new south africa kindle edition by messitt, maggie. Agricultural research council institute for soil, climate and water, private bag x79, pretoria 0001, south africa. Cape of south africa climate a very different, pronounced summerwinter weather pattern. Rainy season in south america americas south america. If you want to really appreciate the country, its better to visit during the rainy season in ghana. Find out the best time to visit south africa with details on climate, seasons and. The rainy season or monsoon and the dry season, for obvious reasons. September is the best time to visit cape town for south african citizens. The rainy season continues in the cape, so expect some days to be rainy and cloudy while others are sunny and warm. The sanparks free week gives you free access to the breathtaking national parks around the country. The rainy season for most of the country is in the summer which is november through to march. For most of southern africa, the dry season coincides with the southern hemisphere winter, which lasts from june to october.
The zambezi river is low in december, but it steadily swells and becomes more spectacular as the rain water arrives from further upstream. As a reader, you are in the passenger seat to a local funeral, a weavers studio, a traditional healer, and a young man coming of age. The west coast is on the atlantic ocean with a cold current. We will be traveling with a tour group to johannesburg, kruger np, swaziland, port elizabeth, cape town. Most locations receive more than 75% of their annual precipitation during this 7month period, with some parts in the northwest receiving more than 90% of.
The weather is warm, and although there may still be some rainfall in the north, it is easing off. South africa has typical weather for the southern hemisphere, with the coldest days in juneaugust. Also subtropical areas like florida, south and southeast texas, and southern louisiana have a rainy season. This is the dry season and animals congregate around waterholes and rivers. During this time, rainfall is limited, while the weather is typically sunny and cool. Do sightseeing in the cool, dry of the morning and then when it is raining it is also a good time to rest, have a nap or do something indoors like visiting a museum or restaurant. Jun 05, 2014 march may is the hottest time when the temperatures climb to around a scorching 40c june october is classed as the rainy season in southeast asia as the region cools down and breathes a sigh of relief as the rains start around june. They are at their best during the dry season when wildlife is easier to spot, and the okavango is flooded. Moremi, okavango and chobe are most popular and offer yearround wildlife viewing. The exception to this rule is the kalahari ecosystem, where game viewing is actually more productive during the rainy season best from december to march when game concentrates on the open plains and around pans. It is the best season for patagonia, days are long, lots of wildlife, you can trek in the mountains with glaciers, snowfields, blue rivers and lakes. North africa is part of the northern hemisphere and its seasons follow the same pattern as europe or north america. What is the best time of year to go to durban in south africa.
Best time to visit south africa climate guide audley travel. However, while many inland destinations remain dry yearround due to their proximity to the sahara desert, coastal areas see the most rain in winter. During the dry season, and particularly from july to october, the kalahari is very harsh and game is widely dispersed. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Unlike africas equatorial countries, where the year is split into rainy and dry seasons, south africa does have four seasonssummer, fall, winter, and springonly they are flipped from the seasons in the northern hemisphere. It starts in december and stretches up to march, but the sand fog turns the air into a disaster. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. And dont pay much attention to what folks are saying. Tips for making the most of traveling southeast asia in the rainy season. African safari guide africa rainy season safari seasons. Hi, we are seniors who wants to take a trip to south africa in 2014.
Winter is only the rainy season in parts of the western cape cape town, winelands etc, although the rest of us did have some earlyunseasonal rain earlier this. Rainy season in south africa south africa message board. Just south of the equator, tanzania is huge and its sheer size means that the climate varies considerably within it. South africa has a lovely, temperate climate with plenty of sunny, dry days. May to october is the best time to go to kruger for game viewing days are dry and mild, and animals are easier to spot and follow. Countries like morocco, egypt, tunisia and algeria have an arid desert climate and as such, dont have a specific rainy season. For most of southern africa, the dry season coincides with the southern hemisphere winter, which typically lasts from april to october. South africa is a diverse country with 9 provinces, which range from mountains and beaches, to deserts and bushveld. South africa with reference to rainfed maize production. Johannesburg, for example, lies at 1,753 metres 5,751 ft. Elsewhere in the region, the rainy season runs from november to april, which is also the hottest and most humid time of year. Drought in south africa continues despite good rainy season.
The rainy season is the time when the lifegiving rains bring new life to the wilderness areas of africa, bringing forth new growth and it is a time that is considered to be the low season with regards to safari travel. Light rain falls throughout the year, although summer is the wettest season. Zanzibar climate a similar weather pattern to the kenya coast. Often dramatic thunderstorms in the afternoons, especially on hot days. Combine a safari with a food and wine holiday in cape town to enjoy its firesidefriendly, rainy winter days. During the rainy season in africa the southern areas have not 1, but 2 rainy periods. The rainy season, a work of engaging literary journalism, introduces readers to the remote bushveld community of rooiboklaagte and opens a window into the beautifully complicated reality of. The seemingly endless humid summers december till march are hot and winters are warm and sunny. The wet season sometimes called the rainy season is the time of year when most of a regions average annual rainfall occurs. The wind starts turning from the legendary south easter or cape doctor to the infamous north west winds. The best time to visit south africas parks is from may to september. Drought in south africa continues despite good rainy season last updated on aug 18, 2018 while there has been good rains, the country is still firmly in a drought situation and has not recovered enough to relax the restrictions to water use, implemented in provinces. Along with the variety of people and places, south africa s climate also differs from one region to the next. Along with the variety of people and places, south africas climate also differs from one region to the next.
Southern africa rainy season in southern africa, the rainy season typically lasts from october to april and reaches maximum strength between november and march. The east coast is on the indian ocean, which has a warm current. Just south of the vast expanse of the sahara desert, a belt of fertile grassland stretches across the bulge of africa. Summers are hot very hot and dry, while winters are wet and windy. In south africa, the poor 20152016 rainy season followed a belowaverage 20142015 season which led to 2015 having the lowest annual total rainfall on record since records began 112 years ago in 1904.
Climate and average monthly weather in durban kwazulunatal. A brief overview of africas dry and rainy seasons tripsavvy. Afternoon tropical downpours are the norm which are heavier and more predictable beside the coast and on the islands. The average annual rainfall for south africa is about 464 mm compared to a global average of 860 mm citation needed but large and unpredictable variations are common. Sep 22, 2017 south africa is a diverse country with 9 provinces, which range from mountains and beaches, to deserts and bushveld. Average daytime temperatures are 2025 c but the wind can make it chilly. The overall conditions of the country has warm, sunny days and cool nights. Climate and average monthly weather in johannesburg gauteng. On the central plateau, which includes the free state and gauteng provinces, the altitude keeps the average temperatures below 40 c 104 f. When to visit victoria falls victoria falls travel calendar.
Jan 01, 2009 the rainy season is a beautifully written account of three people in south africa, struggling to make a living for themselves and their families. Rainy season in south africa south africa forum tripadvisor. Plan your day around the rains the rains usually occur in the afternoon, which allows you to plan your day around them. Best time to visit south africa month by month safaribookings. South africa isnt safe from the effects of climate change. The shark season and flower season are coming to an end. In in the western cape rainsfall comes in the winter which is may. Or would we find the days so hot and humid, the rain so dreary. Rain weather south africa, satellite weather south africa. In 2015, south africa recorded its lowest annual rainfall since 1904. The monthly mean minimum and maximum daily temperature. Impala breeding season brings out lots of predators.
The strong southeasterly wind known as the cape doctor that is common during summer picks up. Wind and rain do sweep the streets of cape town on occasion, but on other days the temperature can rise up to 25 degrees and have you wondering if summer ever left. South africa is a sunny country, averaging 810 daily sunshine hours in most regions. Durban easily averages about 320 days of sunshine a year.
If youre heading to cape town in july or august, youll need a rain jacket and plenty of layers. However, generally the main rainy season, or the long rains, lasts during about march, april and may. Rains are usually pretty heavy but also short they last for an hour or two. Areas with a savanna climate in subsaharan africa, such as ghana, burkina faso, darfur, eritrea, ethiopia, and botswana have a distinct rainy season. September spring in south africa is celebrated with warmer days and the occasional cool morning and evening. Sa is the 25thbiggest country on planet earth and the 24thmost populous one with a total of 56 million citizens. On safari in kruger the bush will be thick and rivers full as this is the end of the rainy season. The rainy season for all of south africa except for cape town is summer, which is september to april. Rainy season in kruger south africa forum tripadvisor. This trip idea combines the best of south africas top two destinations cape town and the kruger national park. Climate and average monthly weather in durban kwazulu. Climate and average monthly weather in johannesburg. The main factors influencing conditions are altitude and the surrounding oceans.
Spend 4 nights in cape town, often voted the most beautiful city in the world, followed by 4 nights on safari in the worldrenowned kruger national park, home to a larger diversity of wildlife than anywhere else in africa. It is true that there are some areas that close to visitors during the rainy season due to inaccessibility but there are. Conversely, in south africa s western cape province, winter is actually the wettest season. Tanzania climate a fairly similar weather pattern to kenyas. Rainy season characteristics of the free state province of. At december hot tropical summer comes to the republic of south africa. Average daytime temperature is in the range between 26 c 79 f in cape town and 28 c 82 f in pretoria and durban. The winter season runs from the end of may through to august. While it can be rainy from november to february, this is also the best time to go. Zimbabwe and zambias climates are similar to that in south africas northern provinces, with a rainy season in summer, mostly between december and midmarch.
Best time to visit south africa climate guide audley. Its the perfect time to visit if you havent discovered more of the breathtaking natural landscapes of south africa. Well be in south africa in late january and february, which is said to be the rainy season in the north. The rainy season, a work of engaging literary journalism, introduces readers to the remote bushveld community of rooiboklaagte and opens a window into the beautifully complicated reality of daily life in south africa. Summers are warm to hot late octdec can be uncomfortable, and winters are mild. Monsoon months this is a sovereign country located in yep, you guessed it africa. Or would we find the days so hot and humid, the rain so dreary and the mosquitoes so aggressive that wed do better to head directly to the garden route also, well be traveling on our own by rental car. Winter and summer in south africa occur at opposite times to. What is the best time to visit and when is the rainy season. The climate conditions in south africa ranges from desert and semidesert in the north west of the country to subtropical on the eastern coastline. Overall, rainfall is greatest in the east and gradually decreases westward, with some semidesert areas along the western. The kruger calendar kruger national park south africa. South africa blue sky publications pty ltd ta thesouthafrican number. The west of the country becomes rainy but showers occur after noon with sunny half of a day before.
Called the sahel, the region thrives or fails depending on seasonal rainfall, which comes primarily in a handful of weeks during the rainy season. The rainy season is a beautifully written account of three people in south africa, struggling to make a living for themselves and their families. Aug 18, 2018 drought in south africa continues despite good rainy season last updated on aug 18, 2018 while there has been good rains, the country is still firmly in a drought situation and has not recovered enough to relax the restrictions to water use, implemented in provinces. Is it rewarding to spend time in kruger national park in the rainy season. Tips for traveling in the rainy season in southeast asia. Conditions can be windy for short periods after the winter rains have stopped in cape town, but sunny, calm days become. Zambia climate a somewhat different weather pattern from kenyas, with just one, shorter rainy season. This is the mean monthly precipitation, including rain, snow, hail etc. This is the number of days each month with rain, snow, hail etc. Regus business centre 1st floor, block b, north park, black river park, 2 fir street. Generally speaking, therefore, the wet season, the southern hemispheres summer, occurs between october and march, the dry season, its winter, june through to. Picking between the dry and the rainy season in ghana.
In extremely hot and humid countries, the rainy season in africa is the right time for taking a trip, as the considerably lower temperatures make the climate. Although generalizing south africas weather is difficult, there are a few absolutes that apply throughout the country. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the rainy season. South africa is in the south of the continent of africa and egypt is in the north of africa.