Winter temperature anomalies in South Africa
South Africa: Winter temperature anomalies was 0.2153 °C in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.2153 °C
Change on year
down 88.2%
World rank
156th
of 193 countries
All-time high
2.45 °C
in 2015
All-time low
-2.42 °C
in 1956
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Winter temperature anomalies 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
South Africa recorded 0.2153 °C for winter temperature anomalies in 2025.
That represents a change of down 88.2% on the previous year and down 91.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, winter temperature anomalies in South Africa peaked at 2.45 °C in 2015 and was at its lowest, -2.42 °C, in 1956.
That places South Africa 156th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Winter temperature anomalies in South Africa, year by year
| Year | °C | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 0.1564 °C | — |
| 1941 | -0.3484 °C | -322.7% |
| 1942 | -2.13 °C | +512.3% |
| 1943 | -2.15 °C | +0.7% |
| 1944 | -1.61 °C | -25.1% |
| 1945 | -1.24 °C | -22.7% |
| 1946 | -0.1394 °C | -88.8% |
| 1947 | -1.9 °C | +1264.0% |
| 1948 | -1.21 °C | -36.5% |
| 1949 | -0.1538 °C | -87.3% |
| 1950 | -0.4124 °C | +168.2% |
| 1951 | 0.9581 °C | -332.3% |
| 1952 | -1.08 °C | -212.3% |
| 1953 | -0.5437 °C | -49.5% |
| 1954 | -1.78 °C | +227.8% |
| 1955 | -2.34 °C | +31.5% |
| 1956 | -2.42 °C | +3.2% |
| 1957 | 0.1135 °C | -104.7% |
| 1958 | -0.2637 °C | -332.3% |
| 1959 | -1.04 °C | +295.0% |
| 1960 | -0.5474 °C | -47.4% |
| 1961 | -1.38 °C | +152.8% |
| 1962 | 0.2408 °C | -117.4% |
| 1963 | 0.0392 °C | -83.7% |
| 1964 | -0.9655 °C | -2565.4% |
| 1965 | -0.364 °C | -62.3% |
| 1966 | 0.42 °C | -215.4% |
| 1967 | 0.3166 °C | -24.6% |
| 1968 | -0.3756 °C | -218.6% |
| 1969 | -0.1772 °C | -52.8% |
| 1970 | -1.12 °C | +530.6% |
| 1971 | -0.8246 °C | -26.2% |
| 1972 | 0.7676 °C | -193.1% |
| 1973 | -1.8 °C | -334.2% |
| 1974 | -0.7568 °C | -57.9% |
| 1975 | -2.08 °C | +174.7% |
| 1976 | -0.6044 °C | -70.9% |
| 1977 | 0.2027 °C | -133.5% |
| 1978 | -0.3466 °C | -271.0% |
| 1979 | 0.2972 °C | -185.7% |
| 1980 | -0.3495 °C | -217.6% |
| 1981 | -0.6681 °C | +91.2% |
| 1982 | 0.0415 °C | -106.2% |
| 1983 | 0.0147 °C | -64.7% |
| 1984 | -0.5404 °C | -3788.4% |
| 1985 | -1.42 °C | +161.9% |
| 1986 | 0.572 °C | -140.4% |
| 1987 | 0.0574 °C | -90.0% |
| 1988 | -1.51 °C | -2735.4% |
| 1989 | -0.0293 °C | -98.1% |
| 1990 | -0.2443 °C | +732.4% |
| 1991 | -0.3382 °C | +38.4% |
| 1992 | 0.4094 °C | -221.1% |
| 1993 | -0.3239 °C | -179.1% |
| 1994 | -0.0134 °C | -95.9% |
| 1995 | -2.17 °C | +16154.5% |
| 1996 | -0.8568 °C | -60.6% |
| 1997 | 0.3284 °C | -138.3% |
| 1998 | -0.637 °C | -294.0% |
| 1999 | -0.1837 °C | -71.2% |
| 2000 | -0.0796 °C | -56.7% |
| 2001 | -0.8449 °C | +961.6% |
| 2002 | 0.1614 °C | -119.1% |
| 2003 | 0.3239 °C | +100.7% |
| 2004 | 0.6299 °C | +94.5% |
| 2005 | -0.5388 °C | -185.5% |
| 2006 | 0.1031 °C | -119.1% |
| 2007 | -0.8526 °C | -927.3% |
| 2008 | 0.9197 °C | -207.9% |
| 2009 | 0.2904 °C | -68.4% |
| 2010 | -0.3693 °C | -227.2% |
| 2011 | -0.7362 °C | +99.4% |
| 2012 | -0.1985 °C | -73.0% |
| 2013 | -0.5784 °C | +191.4% |
| 2014 | 0.0713 °C | -112.3% |
| 2015 | 2.45 °C | +3340.1% |
| 2016 | 1.62 °C | -34.1% |
| 2017 | -0.0763 °C | -104.7% |
| 2018 | 1.44 °C | -1993.4% |
| 2019 | -0.2453 °C | -117.0% |
| 2020 | 0.2967 °C | -221.0% |
| 2021 | -1.51 °C | -608.0% |
| 2022 | -0.5009 °C | -66.8% |
| 2023 | 0.0928 °C | -118.5% |
| 2024 | 1.83 °C | +1868.4% |
| 2025 | 0.2153 °C | -88.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.2153 °C is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.8542 °C, 25% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.2153 °C is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.4189 °C, 51% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Winter temperature anomalies 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | -16154.5% | -0.0134 °C | -2.17 °C |
| 1984 | -3788.4% | 0.0147 °C | -0.5404 °C |
| 2015 | +3340.1% | 0.0713 °C | 2.45 °C |
| 1988 | -2735.4% | 0.0574 °C | -1.51 °C |
| 1964 | -2565.4% | 0.0392 °C | -0.9655 °C |
| 2018 | +1993.4% | -0.0763 °C | 1.44 °C |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | -1.07 °C | -2.15 °C | 0.1564 °C | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.8809 °C | -2.42 °C | 0.9581 °C | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.2797 °C | -1.38 °C | 0.42 °C | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.6259 °C | -2.08 °C | 0.7676 °C | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.3829 °C | -1.51 °C | 0.572 °C | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.4033 °C | -2.17 °C | 0.4094 °C | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0112 °C | -0.8526 °C | 0.9197 °C | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.338 °C | -0.7362 °C | 2.45 °C | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0705 °C | -1.51 °C | 1.83 °C | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 153 Indonesia 0.223 °C compare
- 154 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.2201 °C compare
- 155 American Samoa 0.2171 °C compare
- 157 Panama 0.1292 °C compare
- 158 Sierra Leone 0.1178 °C compare
- 159 Brazil 0.1099 °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 winter temperature anomalies in South Africa?
- Winter temperature anomalies in South Africa was 0.2153 °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 winter temperature anomalies recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.45 °C in 2015.
- What is the lowest winter temperature anomalies recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.42 °C in 1956.
- How does South Africa rank for winter temperature anomalies?
- South Africa ranks 156th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is winter temperature anomalies rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 91.2%. 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 Winter temperature anomalies. 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 in a specific month's average surface temperature from the mean temperature of the same month during the period 1991-2020, measured in degrees Celsius.