In early May, heavy weather in parts of the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape cost at least 10 lives, displaced thousands of people and badly damaged roads, buildings and utility systems.
Climate scientists agree that intense downpours and heavy storms will likely happen more often and become more unpredictable in the future.
But can every extreme weather event be pinned on climate change?
We look at how data from the past and models about the future can help decision-makers plan for changing weather patterns.
This is the second of a three-part series in which our Bhekisisa data team dives into thousands of data points to find out what climate change could mean for South Africa. Read the first part here.
Intodays newsletter, Linda Pretorius explains why SA has more storms.Sign up for our newsletter today.
The weather is good for small talk. But its been making big headlines more and more often lately.
In the first five months of this year alone, many parts of South Africa have been battered by storms, floods, and lasting or scorching heat, with the government issuing three notices of weather-related national disasters and official warnings about severe heat between January and May.
