KZN town records lowest minimum March temp in 20 years

Last gasp of summer roasts parts of Western Cape while KZN feels autumnal with cooler temps

March 13, 2026

Tamlyn Cramer 1 minute read

Winter chill in the KZN air PHOTO: Lukas Blazek:/Pexels

While the Western Cape is in the grips of a late-summer heat wave, weather in the eastern half of South Africa is gearing down for autumn.

According to weather data released by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) on Wednesday, a number of weather-related records for this time of year were broken, for both minimum and maximum temperatures.

ALSO READ: Wet autumn, early winter on the cards for KZN

Of the 19 new records set, 16 were the highest maximum temperatures, while just three were the lowest minimum temperatures.

With a noticeable winter chill in the KZN air, Kokstad set its lowest minimum temperature in 20 years, recording just 3.6 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

Frankfort in the Free State recorded 6.7 degrees, its lowest minimum since 27 March 2021, when it recorded 7.3 degrees.

At the other end of the scale, Lamberts Bay on the West Coast recorded a sweltering 44 degrees C on Wednesday, its highest maximum temperature in 36 years.

Still in the Western Cape, Langgewens recorded its highest minimum March temperature since 1964; 28.7 degrees C compared with 26 degrees on 10 March of that year.

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