The year 2016 tipped the scales with the hottest maximum daytime temperatures for the past 20 years over most of the Eastern Cape.
In most cases, it was by a mere 0.1 of a degree.
Night-time minimum temperatures were normal over most of the region.
Garth Sampson from the PE Branch of the SA Weather Service reports that the higher than normal maximum temperatures can mainly be attributed to a warmer than normal winter and the below average rainfall over most of the region in 2016.
The AVERAGE ANNUAL maximum temperature records for the period 1996 to 2016 were as follows
Port Elizabeth
2016 23.3 C (Highest)
Record 23.2 C (1999)
Queenstown
2016 24.8 C (Highest)
Record 24.7 C (1999)
Mthatha
2016 25.8 C (SECOND Highest)
Record 25.9 C (1999)
Cradock
2016 27.0 C (Highest)
Record 26.4 C (2015)
George
2016 22.0 C (Slightly above average of 21.8 C)
Record 22.6 C (1999)
East London
2016 24.1 C (SECOND Highest)
Record 24.3 C (1999)
RAINFALL
Rainfall was varied over the region with only Port Elizabeth and George showing an exceptionally low figure
Port Elizabeth
2016 447 mm (THIRD Lowest since 1996)
Record 401 mm (1998)
Average 620 mm
2015 707 mm
Almost 300mm lower than 2015 and almost 200 mm lower than the norm
Queenstown
2016 487 mm
Average 391 mm
2015 425 mm
Mthatha
2016 611 mm
Average 656 mm
2015 518 mm
Cradock
2016 344 mm
Average 374 mm
2015 289 mm
George
2016 417 mm (SECOND lowest since 1996)
Record 374 mm (2009)
Average 675 mm
2015 782 mm
East London
2016 714 mm
Average 846 mm
2015 867 mm
NMMM CATCHMENT RAINFALL
After a bumper 2015 rainfall year, 2016 was well below the norm over out catchment area
Joubertina
2016 298 mm (FOURTH Lowest)
Average 404 mm
2015 629 mm
Record 249 mm (2008)
Patensie
2016 379 mm
Average 460 mm
2015 904 mm
Record 306 mm (2005)
Kareedouw
2016 467 mm
Average 640 mm
2015 944 mm
Record 353 mm (2003)