South Africa: Loaded for Bear - August in Joburg Is the New September As Spring Has Already Sprung

'Spring Day' is traditionally celebrated on 1 September in South Africa. In an age of rapid climate change, this is now an anachronism. In Johannesburg at least, spring has already sprung.

Listen to this article 6 min Listen to this article 6 min When is the first day of spring?

Traditionally, "Spring Day" is celebrated on 1 September in South Africa, and that date made a certain amount of sense in the past.

advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove adsIn Johannesburg at least - where I have been a resident for the most part since 1998 - spring usually erupted in mid or late August and September was indeed a springy month, with gradually rising temperatures which heralded the approach of summer in October.

Some people will also point to the equinox, which takes place this year on 22 September. But using that, and the summer and winter solstices, as a measure is frankly quite silly as it means that each season - spring, summer, autumn and winter - is exactly three months.

I would propose that spring begins when the temperatures are consistently, well, spring-like.

And so, I'm making a call: it is only early August, but it is now springtime in Josi.

August is the new September.

Temperatures this past weekend were as high as 24°C Celsius and while there is a cool morning breeze as I write...

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