TerraClim BETA* * TerraClim is subject to ongoing research and development
TerraClim now has a news feed!
A news feed has been added so that TerraClim users can stay up to date with the latest developments in the project. Watch this space for updates and new features coming in 2021!...

Coming soon: extended TerraClim extent!
Development is currently underway to extend TerraClim to cover 98% of wine vineyards in the Western Cape. The first few layers will be available from December 2020
Creating climate layers at such a high resolution (40m or greater) requires dividing and processing the area as subregions, as seen in the map below. For more information on the research behind this, please see our Story Map

Terraclim Site report



Site summary
Mean elevation: | |
Max elevation: | |
Min elevation: | |
Mean slope: | |
Mean TWI: |
Climate
Hourly Temperature
Figure 1: Hourly temperature for the last 24 hours
Figure 2: Mean hours above 35C for Summer
Figure 3: Mean hours below 5C for Winter
Daily Temperature
Figure 4: Mean daily temperture for the last 2 months
Figure 5: Mean daily temperature for Summer
Figure 6: Mean daily temperature for Winter
Monthly Temperature
Figure 7: Mean monthly temperature for 2019
Figure 7: Long-term mean monthly temperature (2015-2019)
Terrain
Variable summary
Terrain Metric | Mean | Standard deviation | Max | Min |
---|---|---|---|---|
Elevation | 222.19 | 11.35 | 231.50 | 218.81 |
Slope | 3.10 | 0 | 3.10 | 3.10 |
Topographic wetness index | -3.20 | 0 | -3.20 | -3.20 |
Elevation
Elevation (altitude) is the elevation above mean sea level. Air temperature generally decreases with an increase in elevation at a mean lapse rate of approximately 0.65 per 100 m increase in altitude. The coolest localities during the nights are at the bottom of south facing slopes where cultivars that needs cold temperatures forgood colour development needs to be planted.
Slope Gradient
Slope (percentage steepness) highlights the maximum rate of change from a cell to its neighbors, indicating the steepness of terrain. Although steeper slopes are more difficult to manage, these slopes produce some of the best wines in the world. Slope is important in all aspects of farming, determines row direction for adequate drainage, mechanization and labour intensity.
Slope Aspect
Aspect is the direction in which a slope faces. Aspect has a big influence on solar interception and exposure to prevailing winds. South facing slopes are cooler than north facing slopes in the southern hemisphere at the same altitude. East facing slopes are exposed to the morning sun and west facing slopes are exposed to afternoon sun
Topographic Wetness Index
Topographic (or Terrain) Wetness Index (TWI), quantifies topographic controls of basic hydrological processes displayed as a dimensionless linear color gradient, with starting and ending point colors based on the minimum and maximum flowpath intensities unique to each catchment. TWI is one the most important factors that indicates the potential of runoff generation. High values of TWI means the high potential of runoff generation and vice versa.
Variable Maps
°C |
---|
5 |
12.5 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
27 |
30 |
33 |
36 |
°C |
---|
5 |
12.5 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
27 |
30 |
33 |
36 |
Figure 8: Elevation surface
Figure 9: Slope aspect
°C |
---|
5 |
12.5 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
27 |
30 |
33 |
36 |
°C |
---|
5 |
12.5 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
27 |
30 |
33 |
36 |
Figure 10: Slope gradient
Figure 11: Topographic wetness index
Bioclimate
Variable summary
Index | 2015/2016 | 2016/2017 |
---|---|---|
BEDD | 1600 | 1600 |
GDD | 1650 | 1650 |
GST | 19 | 18 |
HI | 2400 | 2400 |
HI
Pierre Huglin developed a bioclimatic heat index for vineyards, the Huglin heat sum index in which the temperature sum over the temperature threshold of 10 °C is calculated and then summed for all days from beginning of April to end of September.
GDD
Growing degree days (GDD) are calculated for each day on a basis of daily average temperature and base temperature set to 10’C for grapevines. Daily seasonal summations from 1 September to 31 March. Higher GDD for the season is expected to advance grapevine phenological stages. This was adapted from the Winkler index (Amerine & Winkler, 1944) by Le Roux (1974).
Variable maps
°C |
---|
5 |
12.5 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
27 |
30 |
33 |
36 |
°C |
---|
5 |
12.5 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
27 |
30 |
33 |
36 |
Figure 12: HI surfacet
Figure 13: GDD surface
°C |
---|
5 |
12.5 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
27 |
30 |
33 |
36 |
°C |
---|
5 |
12.5 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
20 |
27.5 |
35 |
27 |
30 |
33 |
36 |
Figure 14: BEDD surface
Figure 15: GST surface
New Weather Stations | |
Towns | |
Wine Cellars | |
Roads | |
Rivers & Waterbodies | |
Farm Portions | |
Field Boundaries |
Available dates: test
Adaptive colours |
°C |
---|
3 |
6 |
9 |
12 |
15 |
18 |
21 |
24 |
27 |
30 |
33 |
36 |