Temperature anomalies vs. latitude in South Africa
South Africa: Temperature anomalies vs. latitude was 0.4358 °C in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.4358 °C
Change on year
down 56.7%
World rank
144th
of 193 countries
All-time high
1.22 °C
in 2019
All-time low
-1.52 °C
in 1955
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Temperature anomalies vs. latitude in South Africa, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in °C.
Analysis
The most recent figure for temperature anomalies vs. latitude in South Africa is 0.4358 °C, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 56.7% on the previous year and down 53.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, temperature anomalies vs. latitude in South Africa peaked at 1.22 °C in 2019 and was at its lowest, -1.52 °C, in 1955.
South Africa ranks 144th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Temperature anomalies vs. latitude in South Africa, year by year
| Year | °C | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | -0.1809 °C | — |
| 1941 | -0.0258 °C | -85.8% |
| 1942 | -0.9706 °C | +3668.0% |
| 1943 | -1.2 °C | +23.2% |
| 1944 | -1.29 °C | +8.1% |
| 1945 | -0.5767 °C | -55.4% |
| 1946 | -0.7416 °C | +28.6% |
| 1947 | -1.19 °C | +60.8% |
| 1948 | -1.34 °C | +12.6% |
| 1949 | -0.2525 °C | -81.2% |
| 1950 | -0.5321 °C | +110.7% |
| 1951 | -0.5083 °C | -4.5% |
| 1952 | -0.3681 °C | -27.6% |
| 1953 | -0.0902 °C | -75.5% |
| 1954 | -1.23 °C | +1260.4% |
| 1955 | -1.52 °C | +24.3% |
| 1956 | -1.05 °C | -31.5% |
| 1957 | -0.6928 °C | -33.7% |
| 1958 | -0.5235 °C | -24.4% |
| 1959 | -0.6804 °C | +30.0% |
| 1960 | -0.6474 °C | -4.8% |
| 1961 | -0.6595 °C | +1.9% |
| 1962 | -0.302 °C | -54.2% |
| 1963 | -0.6995 °C | +131.7% |
| 1964 | -0.8731 °C | +24.8% |
| 1965 | -0.7174 °C | -17.8% |
| 1966 | -0.2953 °C | -58.8% |
| 1967 | -0.8994 °C | +204.6% |
| 1968 | -1.35 °C | +49.8% |
| 1969 | -0.5267 °C | -60.9% |
| 1970 | -0.3899 °C | -26.0% |
| 1971 | -0.8368 °C | +114.6% |
| 1972 | -0.4724 °C | -43.6% |
| 1973 | -0.6343 °C | +34.3% |
| 1974 | -1.23 °C | +93.3% |
| 1975 | -1.17 °C | -4.7% |
| 1976 | -1.38 °C | +18.1% |
| 1977 | -0.5957 °C | -56.8% |
| 1978 | -0.745 °C | +25.1% |
| 1979 | -0.4564 °C | -38.7% |
| 1980 | -0.4198 °C | -8.0% |
| 1981 | -1.02 °C | +142.8% |
| 1982 | -0.3342 °C | -67.2% |
| 1983 | 0.0955 °C | -128.6% |
| 1984 | -0.1334 °C | -239.7% |
| 1985 | -0.0265 °C | -80.1% |
| 1986 | -0.0681 °C | +156.6% |
| 1987 | 0.0086 °C | -112.7% |
| 1988 | -0.5442 °C | -6398.2% |
| 1989 | -0.7252 °C | +33.3% |
| 1990 | -0.3809 °C | -47.5% |
| 1991 | -0.4011 °C | +5.3% |
| 1992 | 0.1077 °C | -126.9% |
| 1993 | 0.1362 °C | +26.4% |
| 1994 | -0.4798 °C | -452.4% |
| 1995 | -0.3842 °C | -19.9% |
| 1996 | -1.08 °C | +180.3% |
| 1997 | -0.6419 °C | -40.4% |
| 1998 | -0.0436 °C | -93.2% |
| 1999 | 0.4143 °C | -1049.4% |
| 2000 | -0.6746 °C | -262.9% |
| 2001 | -0.309 °C | -54.2% |
| 2002 | -0.1366 °C | -55.8% |
| 2003 | 0.1954 °C | -243.1% |
| 2004 | 0.1246 °C | -36.2% |
| 2005 | 0.208 °C | +66.9% |
| 2006 | -0.4715 °C | -326.7% |
| 2007 | -0.0589 °C | -87.5% |
| 2008 | -0.0336 °C | -43.0% |
| 2009 | -0.1522 °C | +353.4% |
| 2010 | 0.3144 °C | -306.5% |
| 2011 | -0.5898 °C | -287.6% |
| 2012 | -0.2019 °C | -65.8% |
| 2013 | -0.0565 °C | -72.0% |
| 2014 | 0.0427 °C | -175.5% |
| 2015 | 0.9307 °C | +2081.6% |
| 2016 | 0.9182 °C | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 0.3714 °C | -59.5% |
| 2018 | 0.4547 °C | +22.4% |
| 2019 | 1.22 °C | +169.0% |
| 2020 | 0.2706 °C | -77.9% |
| 2021 | -0.0581 °C | -121.5% |
| 2022 | 0.2101 °C | -461.8% |
| 2023 | 0.326 °C | +55.2% |
| 2024 | 1.01 °C | +208.6% |
| 2025 | 0.4358 °C | -56.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.4358 °C is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.7693 °C, 57% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.4358 °C is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.5364 °C, 81% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Temperature anomalies vs. latitude in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | -6398.2% | 0.0086 °C | -0.5442 °C |
| 1942 | -3668.0% | -0.0258 °C | -0.9706 °C |
| 2015 | +2081.6% | 0.0427 °C | 0.9307 °C |
| 1954 | -1260.4% | -0.0902 °C | -1.23 °C |
| 1999 | +1049.4% | -0.0436 °C | 0.4143 °C |
| 1994 | -452.4% | 0.1362 °C | -0.4798 °C |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | -0.7774 °C | -1.34 °C | -0.0258 °C | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.7192 °C | -1.52 °C | -0.0902 °C | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.6968 °C | -1.35 °C | -0.2953 °C | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.7904 °C | -1.38 °C | -0.3899 °C | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.3166 °C | -1.02 °C | 0.0955 °C | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.275 °C | -1.08 °C | 0.4143 °C | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.1308 °C | -0.6746 °C | 0.208 °C | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3407 °C | -0.5898 °C | 1.22 °C | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3651 °C | -0.0581 °C | 1.01 °C | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 141 Tanzania 0.4464 °C compare
- 142 South Sudan 0.4435 °C compare
- 143 East Timor 0.4414 °C compare
- 145 Mozambique 0.4333 °C compare
- 146 Lesotho 0.43 °C compare
- 147 Bahrain 0.4148 °C compare
More climate change data for South Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 717.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is temperature anomalies vs. latitude in South Africa?
- Temperature anomalies vs. latitude in South Africa was 0.4358 °C in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest temperature anomalies vs. latitude recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.22 °C in 2019.
- What is the lowest temperature anomalies vs. latitude recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.52 °C in 1955.
- How does South Africa rank for temperature anomalies vs. latitude?
- South Africa ranks 144th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is temperature anomalies vs. latitude rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 53.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Temperature anomalies vs. latitude. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Difference of a specific year's average surface temperature from the 1991-2020 mean, in degrees Celsius.