Home
Weather Dublin
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
    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
Tornado sweeps through Italy's Foggia. So-called "landspout". . . Wednesday 17 June 2026
On the left, a tornado near a town; on the right, the weather radar for Italy
Wednesday 17 June 2026

So-called "landspout"

Tornado sweeps through Italy's Foggia
The second warmest May on record. Early heatwave in Europe. . . Wednesday 10 June 2026
Split image showing a European temperature anomaly map with widespread warmer-than-average conditions on the left and a poerson cooling off beside a fountain near the Eiffel Tower during hot weather on the right.
Wednesday 10 June 2026

Early heatwave in Europe

The second warmest May on record
A heatwave is on the way in Europe. Is El Niño to blame?. . . Tuesday 16 June 2026
Split image showing a Europe temperature map with widespread red heatwave conditions and temperatures above 30 C on the left, and an El Niño ocean temperature anomaly map of the Pacific Ocean on the right with a broad band of unusually warm water along the equator.
Tuesday 16 June 2026

Is El Niño to blame?

A heatwave is on the way in Europe
All weather news
This might also interest you
Flooding, gales, and heavy snow. Storm Chandra. . . Tuesday 27 January 2026
Split image showing aerial flooding in a town with muddy water covering roads on the left, and a rural road on the right blocked by heavy snowfall with vans stopped and a person walking in snow.
Tuesday 27 January 2026

Storm Chandra

Flooding, gales, and heavy snow
Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands. Storm and rain. . . Friday 12 December 2025
Weather graphic showing rain and wind fields over the Canary Islands and a central warning symbol.
Friday 12 December 2025

Storm and rain

Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands
Unsettled conditions into the weekend. Breakfast brief. . . Friday 29 August 2025
Weather map of the UK and Ireland showing scattered showers with cloudy patches across much of the region, especially around western and northern areas. Sunshine symbols appear over London, Cardiff, and parts of southern England, while temperatures range from 17°C to 18°C in most places. Areas of heavier rain are visible over the Atlantic to the west.
Friday 29 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Unsettled conditions into the weekend
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

facebooktwitteryouTubelinkList