The weather & climate of South Africa
South Africa is on the other side of the equator, so the seasons and climate differ a lot from those of the Netherlands and its neighbouring countries. When its winter in Holland, it’s summer in South Africa and vice versa. Inland (in the region of Krugerpark) it’s always a little bit warmer than at the coast, though in general, a temperate climate prevails. The vacation rentals of Homes of Africa are situated in Hoedspruit (Limpopo). Hoedspruit has a temperate savanna climate, with a lot of warm days all year through.
South Africa experiences a diversity of changes in climate, but is most famous for its sunshine. It’s a relatively dry country, and as you can see below, temperatures are very good during the whole year, although in wintertime nights can be chilling. The average temperature in Hoedspruit is rarely below 20 degrees.
Avarage temperature South Africa
Month | Max. | Min. |
---|---|---|
January | 37 ℃ | 20 ℃ |
February | 36 ℃ | 20 ℃ |
March | 32 ℃ | 16 ℃ |
April | 30 ℃ | 10 ℃ |
May | 30 ℃ | 8 ℃ |
June | 28 ℃ | 5 ℃ |
July | 28 ℃ | 5 ℃ |
August | 30 ℃ | 5 ℃ |
September | 32 ℃ | 10 ℃ |
October | 34 ℃ | 15 ℃ |
November | 35 ℃ | 15 ℃ |
December | 37 ℃ | 20 ℃ |
Weather South Africa January
The first month of the year is characterized by lush vegetation that has been generated by the early summer rains. The grass is normally long, particularly along the riverine areas. The larger of the herbivores, such as the Kudu, Zebra and Waterbuck give birth at this time, the thick vegetation allows them to hide their young while they wander nearby. Temperatures can soar into the high thirties, but thunder showers often bring a welcome relief from the heat in the late afternoon.
Weather South Africa February
Considered to be one of the warmest months of the bushveld summer, february is characterized by the animals that only move only when it is cool enough. The chances of thunder showers are not as great as those in January and the heat is drier at this time of year. The general colour of the bush is still green and the vegetation remains thick.
Weather South Africa in March
The heat diminishes slightly towards the end of March and the chance of rain declines at this time of the year. The young of the different animals born in the early summer months have grown considerably and are better equipped in their evasion of predators. Normally, natural water sources are still easily accessible to animals.
Weather South Africa in April
April brings with it the changes of the year and is often the time of the year when the very short bushveld autumn takes place. Water begins to dry up and the temperatures are far more pleasant, but can vary between hot during the day and chilly in the evenings.
Weather South Africa in May
This month is the turning point of the year and is the most definitive of the transformation from summer to winter. The temperature difference between day and night is more pronounced, the evenings require warmer clothing, but the days are very pleasant. The ground water begins to dry up now and game starts concentrating closer to the places where water can still be found. This results in the predators moving to the favorite water points in hopeful anticipation of a successful ambush. The deciduous trees start to lose their leaves and the bush has a more open feel to it. The visibility is also starting to get better and one can look further into the bush from the road.
Weather South Africa in June
Winter is now upon us, when setting out in the morning it is better to “dress to strip”. A simple explanation for this is that the temperature will change by at least ten degrees Celsius from the time you head out on your drive till the time you get back. The evenings are different in that you have to take the necessary extra clothing along with you to ward off the dropping temperatures. The most of the animals congregate around the deeper pools to quench their thirsts. Predator viewing is at its best at this time of year, the lack of vegetation and established water points make tracking and finding the large cats easier. The cooler days often result in the cats moving during the day in search of prey, and many times a kill has been witnessed in broad daylight.
Weather South Africa in July
In many respects July is similar to June, the only difference is that it is more dry, and animals such as the Rhinoceros and the Buffalo make there daily journeys to the rivers to drink. Elephants only leave the river bed in the evening when it is cooler, spending the day feeding on the remaining lush vegetation. Towards the end of the month it slightly starts to warm up during the day, though the evenings are still cold.
Weather South Africa in August
August is the driest of the months, the temperature rises during the day and although the nights are cool the days are very pleasant. There are many who rate August as the best time of the year to come to see the animals. The grass is now a gold to brown color and tends to thin out for a big part.
Weather South Africa in September
September is a month of great contrasts, the bush is still dry, but many of the trees begin to blossom; the brilliant red of the Weeping Boer-bean, the yellow of the Knobthorn trees or the combination of white and yellow on the Transvaal Gardenia. All of these shower a brilliance over what is now a very dry month for the bush. The last of the winter chills are spent and the days can become hot again. Viewing continues to be exceptional with the lack of water and sparse ground cover.
Weather South Africa in October
The bushveld is now waiting in anticipation for rain, the days warm up enough to create thunder storms in the afternoons. The storms do not usually bring much rain, but certainly enough to start the early growth of the bush and flush a fresh green color.
Weather South Africa in November
The days now become warmer and the chances of afternoon showers greater. The general appearance of the bush is now green and the grass starts to coppice, this will attract the grazers like Zebra, Wildebeest and Buffalo. Plenty of migrating birds will arrive to take advantage of the summer conditions, some of them would have come from further north in Africa and some would fly all the way from Europe. The end of the month would see the arrival of the first Impala lambs.
Weather South Africa in December
This is indeed a busy time, as the lambing of the Impalas and the calving of the Wildebeest gets into full swing. The predators take full advantage of the abundance of youngsters and the evenings are full of action. The characteristic Woodland Kingfisher arrives and their trill like call joins the melody of songs as many of the birds begin to make their nests. The welcome thunder storms are followed by hatches of insects that both birds and mammals take full advantage of. The long hot days result in a great amount of movement in the cooler evenings as the animals appear to be taking full advantage of this time of abundance.