07.06.10

World Wide Weather #9: Johannesburg, South Africa

Posted in Non-US Weather, Weather News at 10:37 pm by Rebekah

This week’s post in the global weather and climate series features Johannesburg, South Africa.

Hillbrow Tower in Johannesburg, South Africa. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

The provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, Johannesburg is located at about 26 °S, 28 °E.  Johannesburg’s economy is centered around the lucrative gold and diamond trade.  The city is also hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, which is coming up this Sunday between the Netherlands and either Germany or Spain.  Johannesburg is home to 3.9 million people (6.3 million in the metro).

A few more facts about Johannesburg (from Wikipedia):

  • Time zone: South Africa Standard Time (UTC+2)
  • Elevation: 5,751 ft above mean sea level
  • Climate zone: Subtropical highland
  • Average high temperature: 71 °F (22 °C)
  • Average low temperature: 50 °F (10 °C)
  • Average annual precipitation: 28 inches (713 mm)

Current weather:  It is currently winter in Johannesburg, so the days are sunny and mild and in the 60s with lows near freezing.  South Africa is at a latitude that is frequently dominated by high pressure, and this time is no exception, with a surface high in place and a ridge aloft, thus keeping the weather fairly pleasant (though nights could be cold).  Sunday’s Weather Underground forecast  for the World Cup calls for clear skies with a high of 62 °F and a low of 35 °F, while the South African Weather Service forecast calls for a high of 18 °C (64 °F) and a low of 1 °C (34 °C).

00Z (2 AM in Johannesburg, 5 PM in Los Angeles) METEOSAT infrared satellite image of Africa, showing clear skies over southern Africa. Courtesy of the GOES website. Click to enlarge.

For more information on Johannesburg, here’s a link to Wikipedia.

For weather maps and information on current and forecast Johannesburg weather, see the South African Weather Service site.

Next Tuesday I plan to take a look at the climate and weather in another part of the globe.  As always, if you have any comments or suggestions for future cities, please leave a comment on this post!

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