By
Olivia Land
July 11, 2023
Johannesburg, South Africa, was treated to a rare dusting of snow this week — the city’s first in more than 10 years.
The unexpected winter wonderland was part of a patch of snow that covered various provinces through the weekend into Monday, South Africa’s Times newspaper reported.
Photos from around the city show delighted residents gallivanting among the snowflakes, which last coated the area in August 2012.
“Eleven years down the line, it’s exciting that we have snow,” local Jennifer Banda said.
Others on social media referred to the weather as “pure magic,” the Guardian reported.
The snow was caused by an uptick in humidity, low temperatures and wind, experts said — while cautioning that it was unlikely to last very long.
John Henning (left) and Christina Steyn enjoy the rare sight of snow falling in Johannesburg.KIM LUDBROOK/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Children play in the snow at Laerskool Orion, a school outside Johannesburg.REUTERS
“It happens once every 10 years or so. We’re not an area that has a lot of snowfall and that’s partly because in winter we have dry conditions,” University of Witwatersrand professor of physical geography Jennifer Fitchett told the Times.
“We’ve got a strong high pressure cell which is why we don’t have any or very little rain in winter months. And so don’t have much moisture in the air.”
Other parts of the Southern Hemisphere nation get irregular snow from June through August.
But snow falls on Johannesburg only about once every five years, on average, University of the Witwatersrand climatology professor Francois Engelbrecht told the Daily Maverick.
“It happens once every 10 years or so. We’re not an area that has a lot of snowfall and that’s partly because in winter we have dry conditions,” University of Witwatersrand professor of physical geography Jennifer Fitchett told the Times.
“We’ve got a strong high pressure cell which is why we don’t have any or very little rain in winter months. And so don’t have much moisture in the air.”
Other parts of the Southern Hemisphere nation get irregular snow from June through August.
But snow falls on Johannesburg only about once every five years, on average, University of the Witwatersrand climatology professor Francois Engelbrecht told the Daily Maverick.
A man leads a horse as snow falls in Delta Park, Johannesburg, on Monday.AFP via Getty Images
For many children, it was their first time seeing snow in the city.REUTERS
Another expert, South African Weather Service meteorologist Wayne Venter, reassured the outlet that the sudden dusting was likely not due to climate change.
For most of the city’s children, Monday was their first time seeing and playing in snow.
Other residents, however, were frustrated by the change in weather.
Another expert, South African Weather Service meteorologist Wayne Venter, reassured the outlet that the sudden dusting was likely not due to climate change.
For most of the city’s children, Monday was their first time seeing and playing in snow.
Other residents, however, were frustrated by the change in weather.
The snow is expected to stop before too long.REUTERS
Monde Sussman (left) takes a picture of Gabriel Sussman as snow falls in Zoo Lake park in Johannesburg.AFP via Getty Images“I’m trying to warm the engine so that it can start … otherwise I will kick the bike all day,” delivery driver Chenjerai Murape complained of his motorbike.
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The local weather service had also issued cold snap warnings in Gauteng province, which includes Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria.
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