Climate of the Free State Province
Many visitors find that they enjoy the Free State’s climate. Since most of the province is situated roughly 1 300 m above sea level, the Free State endures hot, arid conditions which vary quite drastically from season to season. The weather here is typically of a high-lying inland area and this means that the Free State has rainy summers, frigid winters and a lot of sunshine. Conditions change somewhat in the various corners of the Free State Province and you can expect to see a lot of variety if you are planning to travel through it.
If you travel to the northern corners of the province, you will find that the countryside is quite green as numerous farms tap into the Vaal River to irrigate their crops. Head around the country to the east and you will find that the area gets even more green during the summer after the rain and snow of winter has nourished the soil. This is perhaps one of the most picturesque parts of the Free State and should not be missed. In the southern parts of the province, the mercury starts to rise once again as this semi-desert area enjoys a fair amount of variation between day and night temperatures. Here you will find hot, dry days in summer and freezing cold nights in winter. To the west of the country you will find a good mixture of warm and cold weather where the summers are hot and the winters are cold. People often spend a lot of time making use of man-made water facilities during the summer months to cool down but in winter they resort to using heaters and blankets to keep warm. Though the change may sound somewhat extreme, the people living here usually enjoy the change and make the most of all the seasons.
If you are looking for a great destination in the Free State, Bloemfontein has to be it. The province’s capital city, Bloemfontein has an average summer temperature of 23ºC and an average winter temperature of 8ºC. This means it enjoys fairly good weather all year round with the heat peaking in January when temperatures can soar as high as 32º C. And the winters here aren’t always cold either with some winter days enjoying a comfortable 17ºC.
