Cape town: Preliminary rainfall data by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) show that parts of the south-western Western Cape recorded their lowest rainfall on record in July, with the Cape Town International Airport recording its lowest rainfall since 1958.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Cape Town International Airport recorded only 14.4 mm of rainfall, which is approximately 16% of the average for this location. The previous record was set in 1987 when only 18.0 mm was reported.
The south-western Cape is a winter rainfall region and typically receives most of its annual rainfall in June, July, and August. However, below-normal rainfall was observed in June and persisted into July, with several parts of the region recording their lowest rainfall on record during July, as noted by the weather service.
SAWS highlighted that the seasonal weather forecast showed a strong signal for below-normal rainfall for the south-western Cape during the winter period. Short-term weather forecasts suggest that this trend will likely continue into the first week of August.
Some stations in the south-western parts of the Western Cape also reported their lowest rainfall since records began or surpassed their previous records.
Several severe weather systems impacted parts of the Western Cape during May and early June 2026, which significantly improved water storage across many parts of the province. However, a strong blocking Atlantic high-pressure system to the west of the country has since driven cold frontal systems further south of the province, reducing the number of cold fronts that made landfall in the Western Cape. Only three weak cold fronts moved over the south-western Cape during July.
By contrast, July 2025 saw several cold fronts move over the Western Cape, resulting in rainfall totals exceeding 100 mm. July 2026, however, was the driest on record for many stations in the south-western Cape.
SAWS has indicated that as El Ni±o is expected to strengthen further over the coming months, the likelihood of a warmer-than-normal summer over the Western Cape is expected to rise. Given the current uncertainty regarding rainfall during the 2027 winter season, the public is encouraged to use water sparingly in the coming months.