Climate of South Africa
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South Africa, which geopolitically resides between the 22nd and 34th degrees of the Southern Hemisphere, is part of the Hemisphere's subtropical zone. It experiences a wider diversity of climatological changes than most other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, but also tends to retain lower average temperatures than other countries that reside within this range of latitude.
[edit] Seasons
The Benguela Current, a cold motion that moves from the lower South Atlantic Ocean (including South Africa, Namibia and Angola), causes moderate temperatures on the West Coast, and on the central plateau, which includes Free State and Gauteng provinces, the altitude keeps the average temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius; Johannesburg, for example, lies at 1,753m. In winter, also due to altitude, temperatures drop to the freezing point, and in places even lower; heavy snows have fallen for the first time in decades in Johannesburg.
Then it is warmest in the coastal regions, especially on the eastern Indian Ocean coast. Precipitation is to be expected mainly in the summer months, with the exception of the Western Cape which is a winter-rain area that enjoys a Mediterranean climate.
[edit] Climatic zones
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