Imagine spending your time throwing snowballs at each other in a place that rarely gets snow. That’s exactly what Johannesburg residents may have done recently as on July 10, the South African city witnessed its first snowfall in over 10 years to the surprise of locals.
Snow isn’t unusual in some parts of South Africa. However, the occurrence is rare in Johannesburg, which is located in the Gauteng province. The year 2012 was the last time when it snowed there and before that in 2007.
Here’s what Johannesburg looked like after the snowfall
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According to Jennifer Fitchett, professor of Physical Geography at the University of the Witwatersrand, snowfall 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. We’ve got a strong, high-pressure cell which is why we don’t have any or very little rain in the winter months. And so don’t have much moisture in the air,” she told Times Live.
She added, “The humidity was going up to 97%. That’s very high humidity coupled with cold temperatures. We’ve got cold wind coming through as well today [Monday]. That creates [perfect] conditions.”
Adults, as well as children, were equally excited about the snow, with some even trying to catch the flakes with their tongues or make snow angels. Social media, too, is flooded with pictures and videos of the snowfall as it might not happen again for the next few years.
📸 From @reuterspictures: South Africa’s biggest city Johannesburg has been blanketed in white snow for the first time in more than a decade https://t.co/xTWGPxB0JO pic.twitter.com/juKq8xXdpK
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 12, 2023
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Johannesburg is the biggest city in South Africa and also an important commercial centre. The city has museums depicting the region’s history, Nelson Mandela House, safaris and vibrant culture for you to soak in whenever you visit.
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All images credit: Richard van der Spuy/Shutterstock
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Written By
Anushka Goel
Anushka has previously worked with publications such as the Times of India and Being Indian. A graduate from Xavier Institute of Communications, she specialises in entertainment, food and travel. She also likes to write about sustainability and beauty. When not working, you can catch her reading a book, tending to her plants, cooking or playing an instrument.
