KLIP RIVER: Climate

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Map of the KLIP River

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TEMPERATURE
A typical Highveld climate, with warm to hot summers (October to March), and cool days with cold nights during winter, exists in the Klip River catchment. (Ref 1)

Winter months are usually dry and periodic droughts common in the area.

Average daily temperatures range from approximately 15 to 27 °C in January (summer) to 5 to 17 °C in July (winter). Extremes can range from 1 to 38 °C in the summer months to –13 to 17 °C in the winter months.  (Ref 1)

    RAINFALL                                    
Rainfall is mainly in the form of showers and thunderstorms, which occur mainly during the summer, with maximum falls usually occurring from December to January. The average annual rainfall ranges from 650mm near the Vaal Barrage, to 750mm on the Witwatersrand hills in the north.   (Ref 1)
Wind speed is generally light in the area (average of 4m/s) and winds mainly blow in a north-westerly direction. Exceptions occur sometimes with turbulent high velocity winds, especially during thunderstorms. The average evaporation rate for the region ranges between 109 to 246 mm/month and this exceeds the annual average rainfall. Heavy rains occasionally fall within short periods during the summer, causing localised flooding. Severe electrical storms, accompanying rainstorms, and hail and frost are common, while snow is an exceptional occurrence (Otto, 1996; DWAF, 1999). (Ref 1)
  References                                      

Ref 1: etd.rau.ac.za/theses/available/etd-05102005-113926/restricted/CHAPTER2Catchment_.pdf
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