The Eastern Cape climate varies considerably but has a year-round holiday climate. The Eastern coastal regions enjoy hot summers and moderate winters and the urban capital Port Elizabeth experiences a daily average of 7 hours sunshine. The Northern regions are much cooler. Certain areas receive rain throughout the year, albeit erratic.
The Eastern Cape is the only one of
South Africa’s nine provinces to have all seven of its biomes,
or ecological zones, within its boundaries. This gives it a
tremendous diversity of climates, allowing for a vast range
of activities.
The Eastern Cape also has more 'sunshine' days than any other of South Africa's
province - more than 300 out of 365 days are sunny.
Along the coastal areas, the climate is mild warm temperate to sub-tropical.
The climate and temperature gradually changes from a temperate, winter rainfall
‘Southern Cape’ climate south of Port Elizabeth, through a warm coastal belt
between Port Elizabeth and East London, to a humid zone beyond East London. It
becomes sub-tropical in Pondoland beyond Port St Johns.
The deeper inland areas are in stark contrast to the stable climate of the coast.
Conditions can become extreme. In the Karoo, summers are hot and dry, and frost
is common during the winter months. Some of the Drakensberg Mountain areas have
snow in winter and are among the coldest in the country, explaining why South
Africa’s only snow-ski resort is in the province.
The Eastern Cape is well watered, with regular rainfall in the mountains of the
Drakensberg and hills of the Transkei feeding a number of major rivers. The lowland
coastal belt, extending 30 to 60km inland, can have rain all the year round,
although the 'Southern Cape' regions west of Port Elizabeth are the only true
winter rainfall regions of the province. The dry Karoo in the west receives little
rain.
