Though not El Niño-related, the Western Cape's dry spells in July are not helping South Africa as it prepares for the predicted monster El Niño, which is expected to be felt far and wide.

Parts of the southwestern Western Cape experienced their driest July ever, a harbinger of what looms ahead for much of the country as the El Niño weather pattern intensifies and looks set to become a blazing record-breaker.

"Below-normal rainfall was observed in June and persisted into July [in the southwestern region of the province], with several parts of the region recording their lowest rainfall on record during July," the South African Weather Service (SAWS) said on Friday, 31 July.

"Several severe weather systems impacted parts of the Western Cape during May and early June 2026, which significantly improved water storage across many parts of the province. Since then, a strong blocking Atlantic high-pressure system to the west of the country has driven cold frontal systems further south of the province."

And as those cold fronts missed the province the rains they would typically unleash did not fall over it. Cape Town International Airport recorded only 14.4mm in July, its lowest reading for the month in 68 years.

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