The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has moved to dispel a widely circulating hoax message claiming a countrywide cold spell until August, attributing it to a phenomenon called ‘Aphelion’. SAWS emphatically states that this claim is false and misleading.

According to an article by Northcliff Melville Times, in clarifying the matter, SAWS explains that ‘Aphelion’ is indeed the point in earth’s orbit when it is farthest from the sun. While this astronomical event is expected to occur on July 3 at 15:54, SAWS stresses that this distance variation has no significant impact on temperatures or seasons in South Africa. The nation’s seasons are determined by the earth’s axial tilt, not its distance from the sun.

SAWS urges the public to refrain from circulating this inaccurate information. According to its seasonal climate watch issued on Friday, both minimum and maximum temperatures are anticipated to be above normal for most of the country during winter. This means temperatures are expected to be warmer than typically experienced during South African winters.

While warmer conditions are generally forecast, SAWS acknowledges that South Africa will still be affected by various winter weather systems known to cause temperature drops, such as cold fronts and cut-off lows. The southern coastal regions are specifically predicted to experience below-normal temperatures for the remainder of the winter period.

Addressing another climate factor, SAWS confirms that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (Enso) has returned to a neutral state and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future. SAWS adds that Enso has limited influence on South Africa during winter and is not anticipated to have a significant impact.

As winter commences, rainfall is expected to focus primarily on the south-western parts of the country, as well as the east and south coastal regions. These areas are predicted to receive below-normal rainfall during the early, mid, and late winter periods.

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