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Positioned just south of the Tropic of Capricorn, South Africa is mostly a dry and sunny country, with a climate that is moderated by its surrounding oceans and topography. For example, the Cape (the south-west tip of South Africa) is the meeting point for two great ocean currents that have a major influence on the climate of Southern Africa, and the Cape itself - the warm Agulhas current (about 20ºC) from the equatorial waters of the Indian Ocean and the cold Benguela current (about 8ºC) runs up the west side of the Cape from Antarctica.
Table Top Mountain, Cape Town - copyright of Will Moody
South Africa's seasons are the reverse of the Northern Hemisphere. Spring is September - October, summer is November - March, autumn is April - May and winter is June- August.
Summers in South Africa are known to be quite hot, especially on the southern coastal areas, while inland in the higher elevations of Johannesburg and Pretoria, temperatures are moderate. Winters in South Africa are generally mild countrywide, with some snow in the hills and mountains.
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South Africa