Preliminary rainfall data by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) show that parts of the south-western Western Cape recorded their lowest rainfall on record in July, with the Cape Town International Airport recording its lowest rainfall since 1958.
The Cape Town International Airport recorded only 14.4 mm, which is only about 16% of the average at the Airport. The previous record was in 1987 when only 18.0 mm was reported.
“The south-western Cape is a winter rainfall region and receives most of its annual rainfall in June, July and August. Below-normal rainfall was observed in June and persisted into July, with several parts of the region recording their lowest rainfall on record during July,” the weather service said in a statement.
SAWS said the seasonal weather forecast indicated a strong signal for below-normal rainfall for the south-western Cape during the winter period, and short-term weather forecasts suggest that this trend will most likely continue into the first week of August.
Some stations in the south-western parts of the Western Cape also reported their lowest rainfall since records began or their previous record.
“Several severe weather systems impacted parts of the Western Cape during May and early June 2026, which significantly improved water storage across many parts of the province.
“Since then, a strong blocking Atlantic high-pressure system to the west of the country has driven cold frontal systems further south of the province.
“This significantly reduced the number of cold fronts that made landfall in the Western Cape, with only three weak cold fronts moving over the south-western Cape during July,” the weather service explained.
Several cold fronts moved over the Western Cape in July 2025, resulting in rainfall totals exceeding 100 mm.
By contrast, July 2026 was the driest on record for many stations in the south-western Cape.
“As El Niño is expected to strengthen further over the coming months, the likelihood of a warmer-than-normal summer over the Western Cape is expected to rise. Given the current uncertainty regarding rainfall during the 2027 winter season, the public is encouraged to use water sparingly in the coming months,” SAWS said. -SAnews.gov.za
