| GOURITZ RIVER: Climate |
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eWISA Home | GOURITZ: MAIN INDEX | ALPHABETICAL LIST OF RIVERS | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Map of the GOURITZ River |
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| TEMPERATURE | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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In the Great Karoo and central Olifants River regions, the hot dry Karoo climate predominates. Along the southern coastal strip, the climate is more temperate with significantly higher rainfall. (Ref 1) |
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The mean annual temperature ranges between 16ºC along the south-east coast to 17ºC in the interior, with an average close to 17ºC for the catchment as a whole. Maximum temperatures of up to 41ºC are experienced during February, predominantly in the inland catchments where minimum temperatures as low as 0ºC usually occur in July. (Ref 1) |
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| RAINFALL | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Gourits River and its tributaries are situated in an area of relatively low rainfall. According to Schulze (1965)the catchment is situated in the semi-arid southjer interior of the Cape Province receiving less that 250mm of rain per year. Only in parts of the mountain ranges does the rainfall exceed 750mm. (Ref 3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Great Karoo and Olifants River catchment regions are classified as a very late summer rainfall region, with a large proportion of annual precipitation falling between March and May. The catchments of the Coastal Belt are classified as an all year round rainfall region. Along the south coast, rain is experienced throughout the year with the highest precipitation occurring during spring (August to November) and again during late summer (February and March). (Ref 1) |
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Precipitation over much of the area is from cold fronts approaching from the south-west, with very high rainfall on the parallel lying, coastal side of the mountains. Precipitation decreases rapidly further away from the mountain ranges, to the extent that the inland regions of the Great Karoo and Olifants River catchments are semi-desert areas. The Karoo normally receives most of its rainfall from thunderstorm activity during the period from February to April. Along the south-west portion of the area, high rainfall occurs in the months of April to August. As a result of the influence of the mountains, a large spatial variability in the mean annual precipitation (MAP) is experienced. The mean annual precipitation decreases from east to west, ranging from as high as 1000mm in the south-east along the coast to as low as 160 mm toward the north of the area. (Ref 1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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About twice a year, in winter and spring the Langeberg and Outeniqua mountains are snow-capped. (Ref 3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| References | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ref1: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa. 2004. Gouritz Water Management Area: Internal Strategic Perspective. Prepared by Ninham Shand (Pty) Ltd in association with Jakoet & Associates and Umvoto Africa, on behalf of the Directorate: National Water Resource Planning. DWAF Report No P WMA16/000/00/0304. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ref3: ESTUARIES OF THE CAPE REPORT NO. 38 Gourits (CSW 25)CSIR Research Report 437 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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