Data from the South African Weather Service shows 2022 is South Africa’s fourth-hottest year on record,. Despite above-normal levels of rainfall. The Annual State of the Climate 2022 report was released by The SA Weather Service. It is based on data collected from 26 climate stations.
The annual average temperature was about 0.4ºC above the average for the reference period between 1991 and 2020, which made 2022 the “fourth hottest year on record since 1951,” the report read.
Amid higher levels of rainfall brought on by La Niña, The country generally experienced a warm year,. La Niña is a weather event in the Pacific Ocean which impacts rainfall, and in southern Africa, it is associated with higher rainfall.
Some areas experiencing drought decreased as a result of “good rains” in the early part of 2022 In South Africa. La Nina also meant more rain in summer rainfall regions like Johannesburg and KwaZulu-Natal.
“In February, rainfall in the densely populated Gauteng was often characterised by flash-flood events, displacing some communities and causing at least six casualties and extensive damage to infrastructure,” the report read on the SA Weather Service .
It also noted the above-normal rainfall in April that escalated into flooding in Durban. More than 400 people died, and more than 40 000 people were displaced. The World Weather Attribution organisation had determined that climate change made extreme weather event double in frequency. It also intensified the rainfall between 4% and 8%.
“This event … is considered as one of the major damaging weather events of 2022,” the SA Weather Service report read.
