South Africa's Climate

Question 1

why does South Africa have different climates? (4)

Answer 1

1. it has a large range of altitude
2. has more than 12° of latitude
3. effects of oceans aren’t relevant to the center of country :. of its bigness
4. different winds

Question 2

desert (Port Nolloth) (6)

Answer 2

1. present in NW region
2. dry
3. not much rainfall
4. small plants
5. interior is hot
6. Port Nolloth is cool :. cold Benguela ocean current

Question 3

mediterranean region (Cape Town) (5)

Answer 3

1. winter rain
2. Winter, western winds are from
3. mountains (cape fold) causes heavy rainfall on the windward slopes
4. dry summers
5. small temp. range :. near coast

Question 4

temperate south coast (George) (3)

Answer 4

1. mild temperature :. warm ocean current + low altitude
2. all year round rain, increased by coastal mountains
3. forests :. moisture in soil

Question 5

semi-arid interior plateau (Beafort West) (7)

Answer 5

1. southern part of the interior plateau is cooler :.it is high up + found in western cape and closer to Agulhas current
2. 250mm to 500mm of rain per year
3. Southern interior part has slightly more rain
   than the northern interior
4. It gets less rain than Cape Town and George as it is in the rain shadow of the Cape fold mountains
5. It gets summer rain from subtropical storms
   6.Summer temps are really high, which means that the water from the rain evaporates.
6. Karoo desert

Question 6

subtropical interior (Musina) (5)

Answer 6

1. Found in Limpopo
2. Most of SA climate is subtropical.
   – Where it is hot in summer and cooler in winter
3. Summers get hot and above 30 °C
   – Because it is part of SA that is closest to the
   equator
   – Larger distance from the sea
   – Lower altitude as situated in a valley
4. Typically the temps in Nov and Dec are slightly lower due to the summer rainfall.
5. Vegetation such as tall grass and thorn tree like the hot wet summers and cool dry winters.

Question 7

temperate plateau (Johannesburg) (2)

Answer 7

1. The plateau is cooler than both the east and west regions
   – Because of the higher altitude
2. It is far from the ocean which means if should
   have a bigger range in temperature
   – BUT the summer temperatures is decreased by the summer rainfall

Question 8

plateau margins (Ladysmith) (4)

Answer 8

1. The plateau edges can be found in this areas.
2. Climate varies- as it stretches for 1250km from north to south
3. It varies across altitude from 1200m to 2500m (Ladysmith is in the middle)
4. Climate is not extreme as near the warm ocean

Question 9

subtropical lowveld (Mbombela) (3)

Answer 9

1. The summers are hot because:
– Altitude is low
– Latitudes are tropical subtropical
2. The temperature range is low because – Latitude is low
– Summers are rainy and humid
– Winters are dry and sunny
– There are now high mountains here 
3. Grassland found in this area

Question 10

subtropical coast (Durban) (4)

Answer 10

1. This region is warm to hot all year because of the warm ocean current and also due to its low attitude
2. There is small temp range as close to the ocean
3. Rainfall is all year round but has a summer max rainfall
4. The summer rain, cloudiness and high humidity decrease the summer temps

Question 11

types of climate regions (9)

Answer 11

1. desert
2. mediterranean region
3. temperate south coast
4. semi-arid interior plateau
5. subtropical interior
6. temperate plateau
7. plateau margins
8. subtropical lowveld
9. subtropical coast