South African Weather Service Confirms No Cold Snap Linked to Aphelion in 2025

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has come out strongly against viral claims suggesting that South Africa will experience an intense cold snap due to the Aphelion phenomenon. According to the forecaster, there is no scientific basis for panic, and the country should expect warmer-than-normal winter temperatures in 2025.

What Is the Aphelion Phenomenon?

Aphelion refers to the point in Earth’s orbit when it is farthest from the sun, which will occur this year on 3 July 2025. Despite this greater distance, SAWS confirmed that this has little to no effect on temperatures or seasons in South Africa.

“It is important that we emphasise that this distance variation does not significantly impact temperatures or seasons in South Africa,” the weather service stated.

Warmer Winter Expected for Most Regions

In its latest seasonal climate watch, SAWS forecasts that minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to remain above normal for most parts of the country. While cold fronts and occasional cut-off lows will still occur, particularly over southern coastal areas, a severe cold snap is not expected.

Some southern coastal regions may still experience below-normal temperatures, but this is in line with typical weather patterns and not related to Aphelion.

El Niño Has Subsided

SAWS also confirmed that the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has shifted to a neutral phase, further reducing the likelihood of unusual winter extremes.

“It is important to note that ENSO has limited influence on South Africa during the winter season and is not expected to have a significant impact,” SAWS explained.

However, rainfall is expected to be below normal over the south-western and eastern coastal regions throughout early, mid, and late winter.

Don’t Spread Weather Myths

The weather service urged the public to avoid spreading misleading information on social media. False weather warnings can cause unnecessary panic and undermine public trust in official forecasts.

As we head into winter, South Africans are advised to stay informed by relying on official updates from SAWS and other trusted sources.

{Source: IOL}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com