Snow (-10,5°C) and Heat (+33,0°C) in South Africa, Madagascar +35,5°C and Mozambique +34,2°C in Winter
Marek Kučera 
🇿🇦 South Africa Between Cold and Warmth: A Tale of Two Seasons
As June begins — the first month of winter in the Southern Hemisphere — South Africa is experiencing dramatic temperature contrasts, with a sharp division between wintry cold in the highlands and unseasonal warmth along the eastern and northeastern coasts.
❄️ Wintry Chill in the Highlands
Inland and higher elevation regions have been gripped by South Africa’s first wintry cold spell of 2025. The town of Sutherland, located in the Northern Cape at 1,458 meters above sea level, recorded a freezing minimum of -10.5°C, one of the coldest temperatures so far this year in the country.
This marks the return of frosty mornings and freezing nights in much of the central plateau and Karoo regions, with icy winds extending toward Lesotho and the Drakensberg Mountains.
🌡️ Unseasonal Warmth in the Northeast and Southeast Coasts
In stark contrast, the northeastern provinces and southeastern coastal areas are experiencing summer-like temperatures. Places like Mount Edgecombe near Durban saw highs of 31–32°C, with warm onshore winds maintaining balmy conditions along the Indian Ocean coastline.
🔥 Notable Maximums:
- Margate: 33.0°C — new June record
- Mandini: 32.2°C
- Mtunzini: 31.8°C
- Coffee Bay: 31.4°C
- Durban Airport: 30.5°C
These values are more typical of February than early winter. The heat is being sustained by a combination of subsiding warm air, high-pressure ridging, and offshore breezes.
🔄 Forecast: Heat Persists in the East, Cold Pushes from the West
The coming days are expected to continue the east-west split:
- Mozambique and northeastern South Africa might reach >35°C, especially in low-lying inland valleys.
- Meanwhile, a cold front is expected to sweep in from the southwestern Atlantic, bringing chilly air, frost, and even snow to elevated areas in the Western Cape and Lesotho.
🌍 Climate and Seasonal Context
This event underscores how South Africa’s complex geography and proximity to two oceans can lead to sharp contrasts over short distances. The cold Benguela Current off the west coast and the warm Agulhas Current in the east further exacerbate thermal gradients.
These temperature anomalies also raise questions about the increasing volatility of seasonal patterns, potentially tied to climate variability and shifting atmospheric circulation.
🌡️ Heat Extremes in Madagascar and Mozambique – June 2025
🇲🇿 Mozambique: Summer Heat in the Middle of Winter
Mozambique, particularly its northern and central lowlands, is currently facing intense and prolonged heat for June.
- Forecasts and local observations suggest daily maximum temperatures exceeding 35°C, especially in areas near Tete, Beira, and the Zambezi River valley.
- This level of heat is more typical of late summer (February-March) and is rare for early June, especially given that Mozambique is in the middle of its cool dry season.
- Humidity remains relatively low inland, but the thermal stress is still significant due to persistent high pressure, clear skies, and subsiding air masses.
Key Points:
- 🌞 Tete Province: >35°C expected for several consecutive days.
- 🌡️ Beira and Quelimane: 32–34°C with high dew points.
- 🌀 No tropical cyclones are influencing the region, meaning this is purely continental heat.
🇲🇬 Madagascar: Northern Heat, Central Chill
Madagascar’s weather shows both coastal heat and central coolness, a typical but sharpened contrast this year:
- The northern regions, including Antsiranana (Diego Suarez) and Mahajanga, have seen daytime highs near or above 35°C — remarkable for June.
- The central highlands, especially around Antananarivo, have remained cool with nighttime temperatures dipping to 7–10°C, and some rural areas potentially reaching 4–5°C in the early mornings.
- This makes for extremely large diurnal temperature ranges, especially in the transitional zones between coast and plateau.
🌍 Climate Context: Why So Hot?
The early June heat across Mozambique and Madagascar is being driven by:
- A blocking high-pressure ridge over southeastern Africa and the southwestern Indian Ocean.
- Subsiding air, which warms adiabatically and suppresses cloud formation.
- Warming climate trends, especially in low-latitude regions like southern Mozambique and northern Madagascar, where seasonal distinctions are blurring.
Illustration picture: https://x.com/Afrika_Stories/status/1932121700541583678/photo/1
Marek Sadowski