My son recently asked me if it ever snows in Africa. His eyes rolled as I once again babbled on about the fact that there are 52 countries in Africa, each with its distinct geographic features affecting weather patterns, so let's not use the blanket term "Africa". "Yes, I know" he said, "but does it snow?".
The answer is "yes, it does". In fact there are even a few small ski resorts in Morocco, courtesy of the Atlas Mountains. Tunisia and Algeria got snow-laden a few years ago during a particularly cold winter. Snow even fell in the Sahara desert in 1979, but it lasted just half an hour.
Heading further south, snow does fall (on higher elevations), even close to the equator. Regular snow fall has created ice-capped peaks (although most are fast disappearing) on Kenya's Mount Kenya, Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro; Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains and Ethiopia's Semien Mountains. But it's not enough to ski. For that, you have to head all the way south.
South Africans can actually build snowmen somewhat regularly during the winter months (June - August) especially those living in the inland regions of the Eastern and Northern Cape provinces. Sutherland is considered to be the coldest town in South Africa with temperatures going well below freezing throughout the winter. There's a ski resort in the Drakensberg mountains, called Tiffindell
but a snow maker is essential to make it through the season. Despite its wonderful penguin population, it very rarely snows in Cape Town.
And the chilliest country in Africa? The tiny kingdom of Lesotho. It's in the mountains and it has the highest low point of any country in the world (wrap your mind around that one, son). There are a few pistes here and the skiing isn't so bad in the Maluti Mountains.
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Image of a Skiier in the Eastern Cape, South Africa -- © South African Tourism
the name of the SA skiing resort is Tiffindell
Thanks Bill!
Just found this through a Google search, in an attempt to prove to my mum that it probably does snow in Africa! Very infortmative, thankyou. I also thoroughly agree that we shouldn’t homogenize so many distinct regions under one term (”Africa”), especially when the continent is so vast.
Watching the winter olympics and seeing a team of four from Ghana made me immediately google “does it snow in Africa?” I can’t believe I didn’t know not only does it snow, but there is skiing! Makes me wonder what else I don’t know!
My class have just asked the same question – Has it ever snowed in Africa? so this is a very useful article! Thank you!
hello i am from tunisia north africa,
and i would like you to know that it is snowing almost every winter, it last usualy few days, and can be from december to february, we can get some 50 cm snow in the northern western side of tunisia on the elevations.
the link below is a sample.
kindest regards.
http://www.webmanagercenter.com/management/article-95775-tunisie-ain-draham-tabarka-zone-franche-pourquoi-pas
It actually snows in Africa. There is a country called Lesotho in Southern Africa, “Kingdom in the Sky”. Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa.
There is a ski resort called AfriSkii. Snow falls every year in winter season.
Visit Lesotho and you will find abundant snow currently in the highlands.
Does it (ever) snow in africa? The answer is very interesting and I will pass it to my students.
check out this video on youtube to see Snow in Morocco (Africa)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBkexIITISw
Snow in Morocco (north Africa)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwR1wrGsifw&feature=relmfu
I am from Africa….to be specific “Ethiopia” as a tour guide I went to Semen Mountains several times but never seen a snow…so I don’t know why Ethiopia was mentioned above…. Actually we don’t even have a word for it in Amharic (Official language of Ethiopia) but people say its “Beredo” which means “ice or hail” and most people in Ethiopia think that hail is the same as snow….I thought the same to until I moved to somewhere with a bunch of snow
I like it though.