Rain, rain don't go away!

Abstract

I t is summer again and over the majority of the country this means time for summer rains. Unlike many other countries, South Africa is not well endowed with water resources. This has much to do with our annual rainfall, at a yearly average of only 464 mm much less than the world average of 860 mm. Over much of South Africa, summer (mid-October to mid-February) is characterised by hot, sunny weather – often with afternoon thunderstorms that clear quickly, leaving a warm, earthy, uniquely African smell in the air. The Western Cape, with its Mediterranean climate, is the exception, getting its rain in winter.

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