Climate of the Limpopo River Basin

Climatic factors such as precipitation and temperature have perhaps the greatest influence on the distribution and availability of freshwater in a river basin, particularly in southern Africa.

Due to its location in an area of transition between major climatic zones, the climate of southern Africa is variable. The climate of the Limpopo River basin is affected by a series of different air-masses:

• Dry continental tropical;
• Marine western Mediterranean;
• The equatorial convergence zone; and
• Moist maritime sub-tropical eastern.

This portion of the Climate and Weather chapter proceeds to discuss the climate of the Limpopo River basin in terms of the following points:

• The regional climate
• Climatic patterns
• Climatic variation
• Climatic classification
• Water scarcity in the river basin
• Drought in the basin
• Cyclones

Next: The Regional Climate >