Richards Bay breaks November temperature record

While the extremely hot weather conditions may have subsided for now, record high temperatures were experienced in most parts of South Africa this last week.

Some areas reached as high as 46 degrees C, while others recorded highest maximum temperatures of 34 degrees between 23 and 28 November.

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According to the SA Weather Service (SAWS), its station at Richards Bay Airport recorded 40.5 degrees C last Friday, breaking its own record of 39.5 in November 2008.

SAWS said the north-eastern parts of the country experienced extremely hot conditions owing to a ‘surface high pressure system that was assisted by convergence aloft’.

“Following the heat wave conditions that prevailed from 19 November for a number of days in most parts of the country, November records were broken in both the maximum and minimum temperature measurements.

“Hot to very hot conditions were experienced in most parts of the country, with isolated areas having extremely hot conditions for several days in a row. Hot conditions reached their peak on 27 November,” noted SAWS.

The service further warned that weather extremes would continue over the summer season, as much as drier conditions are expected.

“Caution is advised at this point, as the El Niño effect might still manifest its influence in the next few months and change the outlook of the rainfall forecast for mid- and late-summer.

“Minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be mostly above-normal countrywide for the forecast period,” said SAWS.

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