Parts of the south-western Western Cape recorded their driest July on record after an unusually persistent Atlantic high-pressure system diverted winter cold fronts away from the province , prompting renewed warnings over water security as a strengthening El Niño raises the possibility of a warmer summer. The figures stand in stark contrast to July 2025, when several strong cold fronts delivered more than 100mm of rain to parts of the province. “By contrast, July 2026 was the driest on record for many stations in the south-western Cape. As El Niño is expected to strengthen further over the coming months, the likelihood of a warmer-than-normal summer over the Western Cape is expected to rise,” the weather service said. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report said that climate models consistently project fewer cold fronts reaching the south-western Cape as Southern Hemisphere storm tracks shift poleward.