Weather/Climate in South Africa - Essay Sample

Introduction

South Africa has a moderate temperature with many sunny and dry days suitable for tourism. According to African Conservation (2019), SA experiences climatic conditions ranging from semi-arid temperatures in its interior plateau to the southwestern Mediterranean weather. Additionally, the northeastern part of the country has a subtropical climate. In 2018, the country faced a drought period, which led to the government introducing water conservation measures (U.S. Department of State, 2019). Notably, attitude, ocean currents, and terrains influence the nation's weather patterns, which contribute to the varying climatic conditions in various parts of the country.

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According to African Conservation (2019), most parts of SA experience warm temperatures characterized by sunny days and cold nights. The weather condition is caused by its subtropical location, the altitude of its interior plateau, and the cool breeze moderated by the surrounding oceans-the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. However, SA experiences different temperatures between the western and eastern coastal regions due to the cold Benguela and warm Agulhas currents respectively.

During the summer-October to February-the country is famous for its sunshine and hot weather in the morning and afternoon thunderstorms, which last a few hours leaving a warm breeze. Temperatures surpass 32 C and reach 38 C in the northern parts (SA-Venues, 2019). The highest temperatures ever recorded in the country were about 48 C in Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape region. However, the Western Cape is the exception since it only receives rain in the winter due to its Mediterranean climate (SA-Venues, 2019).

The autumn season is considered the best weather in the nation. SA receives little rainfall across the country and gets warm and colder towards April. In regions such as Cape Town, the season is characterized with hot sunny days and warm nights (African Conservation, 2019). However, the rainfall varies significantly from east to west. For instance, the maximum rainfall in the northwestern parts is 200 millimeters compared to 500-900 millimeters received in the Eastern Highveld. In some occasions, the rainfall exceeds 2000 millimeters in the eastern parts (SA-Venues, 2019). Typically, a significant area in the country receives an annual rainfall of about 400 millimeters (SA-Venues, 2019). The variation in rainfall patterns ensures that the eastern region is suitable for crop cultivation, while the western part is ideal for livestock rearing and irrigation.

During the winter, the country is warm and dry without rain unlike other regions in the world. Areas such as KwaZulu Natal coast, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga provinces experience the winter weather except for the Western Cape, which receives its rain during the season (African Conservation, 2019). Mountainous areas such as the Drakensberg and Cape in KwaZulu Natal receive snow during the winter. The regions record an average minimum temperature of -6.1 C (SA-Venues, 2019). Furthermore, the state gets a spectacular spring season from August to Mid-October in the Cape provinces. Plants sprout and cover the plains with flowers. Notably, people visit the Northern and Western Cape to view flowers in Namaqualand (African Conservation, 2019).

Conclusion

Overall, South Africa has a temperate climate characterized by hot sunny days and cool nights. Most of the regions experience the Mediterranean climate, which contributes to its draught weather patterns. The average temperature difference between the southern and Northern parts of the country is little ranging between 25 C and 30 C. The state also receives moderate rainfall yearly. Lastly, the country's climate provides excellent weather for tourist activities throughout the year.

References

African Conservation. (2019). South Africa's weather. Retrieved from http://www.photodestination.co.za/south-africa-weather.html

SA-Venues. (2019). South African weather. Retrieved from https://www.sa-venues.com/no/weather.htm

U.S. Department of State. (2019). South Africa. Retrieved from https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SouthAfrica.html