Football fans are a hardy bunch but it is useful to know what weather to expect come June 2010.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup™ falls bang in the middle of winter, which means sunny and warm days, but freezing nights - so you need to dress in layers, taking them off and putting them back on as the day gets older.

June in Joburg is a sunny month, although it is mid-winter in the southern hemisphere and the icy Highveld wind can chill you to the bone. The mercury often drops below freezing in the early hours before dawn, leaving telltale frost over lawns and plants.

The only things that won't see much use are brollies and macs - Joburg is a summer rainfall area and winters are dry, almost without fail, with endless, cloudless skies of a breathtaking piercing blue. And winter sunsets in Joburg have to be seen to be believed.

There is also little in the way of central heating - Joburg folk are a tough lot, accustomed to chilly weather; the standard response is to put on a jersey. Newer buildings may have underfloor heating or air-conditioning - hotels and offices all have these mod-cons, but most homes rely on the trusty heater and hot water bottle.

Winter is short, however. Spring and autumn hardly feature, flying by in what seems like a few short weeks. But summers in the city are glorious - temperatures are warm to hot, thanks to the city's high altitude, and evenings are stupendous. In this season, hats and sunscreen are a must between 10am and 4pm if you want to avoid a red face.

Lightweight cotton clothing is the only thing to wear, all day and all night, even during the regular late afternoon thunderstorms. A Joburg storm takes the concept of rain up a whole level - water buckets out of the sky; rivers run down the streets; umbrellas are too flimsy to cope.

And in an hour it's all over, the sun is back up and that delicious fresh, clean, earth-after-rain smell makes the drenching worth it. Such moments remain ingrained in your memory.  There are about nine hours of sunshine a day in the city, and on average it rains on just 99 days a year - but this doesn't necessarily mean there is no sun on these days.

Other host cities
Joburg's winter temperatures range between 7°C and 14°C; but it gets really hot if you are sitting in the sun. South Africa is famous for that sunshine, and the weather is just as friendly in the other host cities, although Cape Town can be a wet in winter.

Because of its high altitude, however, temperatures are a bit lower than other countries at the same latitude, such as Australia. Joburg, for example, is really high above sea level at 1 694 metres. The whole interior plateau is cooler, with the mercury dropping below freezing at night in winter.

On the plus side, it makes the coastal regions the warmest winter hang outs. Generally winter in South Africa has dry, sunny days and cold nights; Bloemfontein gets especially cold at night. Durban is fantastic in winter, with hot days, warm nights and low humidity. Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate and is generally cloudy and wet. And there is snow in the high mountains of the Drakensberg, so you can even get in a bit of snowboarding.

Nelspruit, Polokwane and Rustenburg have a sub-tropical climate, which means winters are warm. Port Elizabeth is also sub-tropical, but it has winter rainfall. Temperatures in this coastal city are mild and pleasant. Pretoria, like Joburg, is on the high interior plateau and has a similar climate, although it tends to be a tad hotter in the capital city.

Average winter temperatures

Joburg: 7°C - 16°C
Bloemfontein: -2°C - 17°C
Cape Town: 7°C - 18°C
Durban: 11°C - 23°C
Nelspruit: 6°C - 23°C
Polokwane: 4°C - 20°C
Port Elizabeth: 9°C - 20°C
Pretoria: 5°C - 20°C
Rustenburg: 4°C - 16°C

Jozi's average monthly temperatures

January: 26°C
February: 26°C
March: 24°C
April: 22°C
May: 19°C
June: 16°C
July: 16°C
August: 20°C
September: 23°C
October: 25°C
November: 25°C
December: 25°C

For an up-to-the-minute snapshot of the weather or longer forecasts to plan your journey in advance, visit the South African Weather Service website.