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Bloemfontein and Canberra have the coldest winter average lows of main cities in their respective countries - South Africa and Australia, but which do you prefer? Interestingly, despite similarities in climates in the latitudes that they share, I don't think South Africa has a climate much like Canberra or Australia one much like Bloemfontein.
Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of South Africa, it sits at 1351 m altitude (Bram Fischer International Airport) on the southern edge of the Highveld, about 420 km from the nearest Indian Ocean coastline to the SE. It has a BSk/Cwa borderline climate with a strong summer rainfall bias. Winters are dry with average lows falling below freezing in June and July which is very cold for South Africa , however a large diurnal range means days are fairly warm. Bloemfontein is very sunny year round.
Canberra is the federal capital of Australia, located at an altitude of 578 m (Canberra Airport) near the Brindabella Rages of the Australian Alps, with the Pacific Ocean about 100 km away to the SE. Though Canberra's yearly rainfall is almost the same as Bloemfonteinm, it is fairly evenly distributed in the year resulting in a dryish Cfb climate as rainfall in the cooler part of the year is more effective, and Canberra is about 2C cooler by yearly mean. Winter average lows are not as cold as Bloemfontein, not dropping below freezing, but a smaller diurnal range means both the means and especially highs are not as warm. Canberra is quite sunny but considerably less so than Bloemfontein and there is more of a seasonal variation in sunshine with winter getting markedly less than summer.
Hmmmm... I like the battle, but there are some places that are latitudinally and altitudinally closer to Bloemfontein than Canberra... Armidale ( 920m asl and 30.3*S ) and Guyra ( 1330m asl and 30.12*S )
ARMIDALE, NSW
GUYRA, NSW
And an inland desert climate at reasonable altitude (676m asl and 26.17*S) :
Pukatja (formerly Ernabella)
Hmmmm... I like the battle, but there are some places that are latitudinally and altitudinally closer to Bloemfontein than Canberra... Armidale ( 920m asl and 30.3*S ) and Guyra ( 1330m asl and 30.12*S )
ARMIDALE, NSW
GUYRA, NSW
And an inland desert climate at reasonable altitude (676m asl and 26.17*S) :
Pukatja (formerly Ernabella)
Thanks! I didn't necessarily choose these two for being the most similar though they are the most similar capitals/largish centres.
Armidale is a little more similar in temperatures and rainfall but it still doesn't have the same kind of dry winter with warm days and cold nights. Pukatja is a lot drier but it does have the right kind of rainfall and winter diurnal temperature range pattern, but without the winter lows below freezing.
I don't think there's any location in South Africa that has the combination of being inland, fairly high and having a Cfb climate like Canberra.
Canberra for me - a climate more conductive to skiing.
Would be interesting to see if Bloemfontein could support citrus, as it's dry, sunny, and warm maximums in winter could possibly offset the cold nights - probably not, I would think.
Canberra for me - a climate more conductive to skiing.
Would be interesting to see if Bloemfontein could support citrus, as it's dry, sunny, and warm maximums in winter could possibly offset the cold nights - probably not, I would think.
They don't grow commercially but there are some fruiting, historic (over 100th year old) orange trees in Bloemfontein. They're in the courtyard of a historic building so probably get some extra warmth, but to survive that long and grow so large I would think it can't be that marginal. See historic orange trees in Bloemfontein
Snow is rare, and there are no mountains nearby so skiing would be no good. I expect Canberra gets more snow as it has more winter moisture.
They don't grow commercially but there are some fruiting, historic (over 100th year old) orange trees in Bloemfontein. They're in the courtyard of a historic building so probably get some extra warmth, but to survive that long and grow so large I would think it can't be that marginal. See historic orange trees in Bloemfontein
Snow is rare, and there are no mountains nearby so skiing would be no good. I expect Canberra gets more snow as it has more winter moisture.
Canberra gets the odd fall of snow, but in reality the altitude is too low for snowfalls to be a regular occurrance. Settling snow is rare in the City itself.
The nearby Brindabella Ranges are between 1000m and 1900m asl and are snowcapped in the winter months and are a lovely site from down town Canberra City
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