While Cape Town remained cool over the past week much of the country experienced a heatwave which led to some excessive temperatures.
Gauteng experienced its third heatwave this season, while the Northern Cape and the Karoo also experienced sweltering highs and experts warn that these hot, dry spells will likely become longer.
Upington, Beaufort West and Laingsburg’s temperatures exceeded 42°C last week, while, Augrabies Falls reached over 46°C and Noupoort a desert-like 47°C.
Vioolsdrif, near the Namibian border, has recorded the highest temperature, however, it was not 54°C on 28 November as initially reported – which would have made it the hottest temperature on record for South Africa.
The SA Weather Service confirmed that last week’s temperature of 54ºC recorded for Vioolsdrif had been inaccurate. The actual temperature was 51,1°C.
📄 MEDIA RELEASE – Vioolsdrift temperature on 28 November 2019 pic.twitter.com/qu3FfVwUvk
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) December 2, 2019
Speaking about the increase in hot and dry spells throughout the country, SA Weather Service senior forecaster Puseletso Mofokeng. said.’ We have to be concerned. We’re having a growing population, and years and years of drought, we have to be in the culture of saving water. It shouldn’t only be when we have extreme events like heatwaves.’
Image: Wikipedia commons
