African Splendour

Weather

South Africa: South Africa, in the Southern Hemisphere, has its seasons reversed from the Northern Hemisphere. Winter is May through August, when daytime temperatures in Cape Town and Johannesburg are in the 50s and 60s, dropping to the 30s and 40s at night. With the exception of Cape Town, it rarely rains in the winter. In the summer months (November – March) temperatures in Cape Town and Johannesburg are usually in the 70s and 80s during the day, and 60s at night. There are sometimes afternoon thundershowers, generally lasting about an hour and often including an electrifying display of thunder and lightning. The southwestern Cape (Cape Town) has its own unique weather patterns. Here the rain comes between April and October, with daytime highs in the 50s and nights in the mid 40s.

Victoria Falls, Zambia: Although Livingstone is hotter and more arid than the rest of Zambia, it is relatively cool in Victoria Falls itself. There are three different seasons here. May to August is slightly cooler, with temperatures in the 70s during the day and 40s-50s at night. In September and October it is usually hotter, with highs in the 100s and lows in the 60s. The rainy season is in summer (November-March), when the weather is warm and humid.

East Africa: The weather is practically perfect - great safari weather. Sunny and balmy throughout the year, average temperatures range between low to mid-70s year-round with slightly warmer temperatures in summer (November through March) and slightly cooler temperatures in winter (May through August). Despite the fact that East Africa lies on the equator, the region’s high elevation (averaging 5,000 feet above sea level), keeps the air mild and pleasant. Temperature variance is determined more by region than by season: upcountry areas such as Mount Kenya and the Aberdares at 7,000 feet can be cool, while the drier bush country is warmer and the sea level regions of Mombasa and Zanzibar quite tropical.

Travellers often ask about the romantic “rains” of East Africa. The “short rains” traditionally arrive in November while the “long rains” arrive around April. Even during the rains, however, the sun usually shines for a part of the day—in fact, many experienced Africa hands enjoy safariing during this time as the bush is lush, green and quiet. It’s worth noting that worldwide changes in weather patterns due to global warming have also affected East Africa. We’ve noticed that the arrival of the rains is not as predictable as in past years, which has also affected wildlife and migration patterns.