Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    South Africa rarity: Snow for the first time in 11 years

15:00
13 July 2023

South Africa rarity
Snow for the first time in 11 years

Snow in Johannesburg for the first time in over a decade.
The city and its surroundings blanketed in snow.
Snow is a rarity in South Africa away from high altitudes, even in winter.
Children enjoying the snow in Johannesburg.
There was even enough for a snowman!
1/5
Snow in Johannesburg for the first time in over a decade. - © dpa

In South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg, snow has fallen for the first time in 11 years.

It might sound strange given it is our summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is indeed winter in South Africa, in the Southern Hemisphere.

However, for the first time in 11 years it has snowed in Johannesburg, capital of the Gauteng province. According to the South African Meteorological Service, the last time it snowed here was on August 7th 2012.

Snow also fell in the provinces of Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga. Apart from delays in rush-hour traffic, there were no major disruptions.

Many people were rather happy about the rare occasion of snow, as pictures and videos depict. Even despite the bitterly low temperatures.

In the outskirts of Johannesburg -2°C was recorded, the lowest temperature of winter so far for them. At higher altitudes it was even colder; at Frankfort Aero for example, around 1500 m above sea level, temperatures plummeted to -11.4°C.

Though no records have been broken, there has been widespread frosts in the highland areas and it will continue to remain cold in the coming days.

More on the topic

From late summer to storm warnings. Contrasts in Europe. . . Thursday, 29 October 2026
Split image: On the left, the temperature radar for Spain and Portugal shows readings of up to 28 degrees. On the right, waves crash onto a flooded beach dotted with parasols and sun loungers amid stormy weather.
Thursday, 29 October 2026

Contrasts in Europe

From late summer to storm warnings
Stormy winds finally easing. By the end of the week. . . Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Split wind maps showing winds of 25–40 mph across the UK and Ireland easing to 7–15 mph, with a white arrow indicating the change.
Tuesday, 27 October 2026

By the end of the week

Stormy winds finally easing
Widespread fog grips Thursday morning. Take care on the roads. . . Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Split image showing a fog forecast across southern England with temperatures of 8–9°C, alongside cars driving through dense mist on a sunlit road.
Wednesday, 28 October 2026

Take care on the roads

Widespread fog grips Thursday morning
All weather news

This might also interest you

A stormy week in the skies above. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 30 August 2026
Split image showing lightning branching beneath dark storm clouds above rooftops on the left and an orange-pink sunset over a calm sea on the right.
Sunday, 30 August 2026

Your weather - Your shots

A stormy week in the skies above
A frozen start to the weekend. Icy conditions. . . Friday, 13 February 2026
UK temperature map dated 14.02 showing widespread subzero values in blue shading, with readings such as −4 in Glasgow, −3 in Dublin, and −2 in London, alongside a blue thermometer icon.
Friday, 13 February 2026

Icy conditions

A frozen start to the weekend
New records for England and Wales. Broken again tomorrow?. . . Thursday, 25 June 2026
Temperature map of southwest Britain on 25.06 showing extreme heat across southern Wales and southwest England, with Bute Park in Cardiff highlighted at 34.2°C and Yeovilton at 36.4°C amid widespread deep red heat zones.
Thursday, 25 June 2026

Broken again tomorrow?

New records for England and Wales
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList