With a land mass of roughly 30.37 million sq km, encompassing 54 countries, it is no surprise that very different weather patterns prevail across the continent. Understanding what the weather will be like in a region you might be visiting — and how it affects the people and wildlife you are going to see — will help you to get the most of your visit. Africa’s climate can be broadly divided into eight regions, each influenced by latitude, elevation, topography, ocean currents, prevailing winds, vegetation and the differing effect of the oceans and seas that surround it.
Overall, rainfall is more variable than temperatures. In southern Africa rain falls mostly in summer months (with the highest amount occurring in the east), while in West Africa and the Mediterranean rain falls in the winter months (between April and October). In Central Africa it is usually hot and wet throughout the year, and the temperature and rainfall range is low. Vegetation is also an indicator of each climate zone. Tropical rainforests are found largely in Central Africa, parts of West Africa and Madagascar regions, whereas the arid, steppe zones of Southern Africa and Sahara as well as the horn of Africa are characterised mainly by semi-desert or desert conditions. Temperate grassland is found in regions with dry, hot summers.
Changes in the global climate pattern affects the terrestrial vegetation in different regions of Africa. A case in point is in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, where bush encroachment has been a leading cause of the displacement of grasses while favouring shrub growth. Climate change could also be linked to the loss of vegetation in West Africa, leading to the aridification in the region.