Record cold and heat in just one week: The most extreme temps recorded in SA’s cities
South Africa’s weather has lurched from bitter cold to summer-like heat in just eight days, with Johannesburg and Pretoria approaching unusually high August temperatures.
In just one week, South Africa experienced a drastic shift in weather, from extreme cold to sweltering heat. Johannesburg shattered its unofficial records for both the highest and lowest daytime temperatures within an eight-day span. The South African Weather Service (SAWS) predicted Thursday, August 20, to see a daytime maximum of 30°C, tying the August heatwave records of 28° to 30° from 2015. Pretoria's forecasted maximum of 31°C for Thursday also echoed past records.
However, coastal regions remained relatively cool, with highs of 19°C in Cape Town, 18°C in Gqeberha, and 20°C in Durban. Yet, just eight days earlier on August 11, Johannesburg unofficially set its hottest August day ever with a high of just 5°C. This matched the record 'cold high' recorded on August 1, 2009. The city's all-time lowest daytime high was 1.5°C, recorded on June 19, 1964, while its lowest minimum temperature ever was -8.2°C, noted on June 13, 1979.
Experts warn that South Africans may face a hotter and drier summer due to the strengthening El Niño. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a more than 90% chance of a "very strong" El Niño developing in late 2026 and early 2027, which could lead to drought in Southern Africa. South Africa's record highs and lows vary by city: Bloemfontein holds the lowest temperature at -11.2°C, while Upington boasts the highest at 45.3°C.
Johannesburg's extremes are -9.7°C and 36.2°C, surpassing Cape Town's -1.9°C and 40°C highs, and Durban never experiences sub-zero temperatures.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
