Chill hours in South Africa
Ten-season averages for 15 locations in South Africa, from NASA POWER hourly temperatures. 2 of them have a full page with the season-by-season table and the fruit trees and berries that suit them.
Where fruit grows in South Africa
Almost all South African pome and stone fruit grows in the Western Cape, in cold pockets such as the Ceres basin and the Elgin valley that sit well above the surrounding country. Chill is the binding constraint here rather than winter cold, which is why the local industry watches chill units so closely.
Across these locations the ten-season average runs from 0 chill hours at Cape Town, Western Cape, to 1316 at Ficksburg, Free State. 45°F Hours and Utah are counted over 1 May – 31 August.
Locations
| Location | Region | 45°F Hours | Utah units | Chill portions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem | Free State | 1115 | 1008 | 60.0 |
| Caledon | Western Cape | 531 | 1084 | 78.5 |
| Cape Town | Western Cape | 0 | -402 | 8.2 |
| Ceres | Western Cape | 885 | 1384 | 89.5 |
| Ficksburg | Free State | 1316 | 1410 | 89.5 |
| Grabouw | Western Cape | 81 | 557 | 61.7 |
| Johannesburg | Gauteng | 769 | 659 | 41.9 |
| Paarl | Western Cape | 233 | 616 | 62.9 |
| Polokwane | Limpopo | 354 | 120 | 23.7 |
| Robertson | Western Cape | 499 | 784 | 63.1 |
| Stellenbosch | Western Cape | 81 | 557 | 61.7 |
| Tzaneen | Limpopo | 120 | -329 | 13.8 |
| Villiersdorp | Western Cape | 531 | 1084 | 78.5 |
| Wolseley | Western Cape | 885 | 1384 | 89.5 |
| Worcester | Western Cape | 885 | 1384 | 89.5 |
Other countries
All chill-hour locations, including a calculator for any point.
Track this season in ChillCast
ChillCast tracks this season's chill for any location in South Africa on your iPhone.
Generated
This page was generated on 2026-09-06.
About this data
Values are NASA POWER regional estimates (about 0.5° grid), not orchard measurements. Check your local extension service for station data.
Source: NASA POWER hourly 2-metre air temperature (MERRA-2). NASA does not endorse ChillCast.