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Settled weather conditions in favour of Election Day 2024

Remember your sunhat, sunglasses, sunblock and a bottle of water, because the sun will certainly be present on Voting Day.

May 28, 2024
Lowvelder 2 minutes read
>Photo: Lowvelder/Canva

According to SAWS, South Africans will exercise their democratic right tomorrow, Wednesday May 29, in favourable weather conditions.

“Sunny and cool conditions will continue to dominate over most parts of the country during the day, while many of the northern provinces can even expect sunny and warm conditions. The persistence of such mild, settled weather conditions is somewhat unusual for this time of year, but will no doubt be welcomed by election officials as well as the public,” the service said.

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SAWS said in a statement that the weather conditions are likely to remain predominantly free of rain and clouds.

“Rainfall, if any, is expected to be light and very localised in nature. At this stage, Voting Day is expected to remain dry and rain-free. A cold front will indeed be moving closer to the Western Cape, however, current numeric weather prediction models indicate that rainfall associated with the arrival of the cold front will only occur after Wednesday.”

Summary of predicted weather conditions for Wednesday:

Warm in places over the northern areas of Limpopo, North West and Northern Cape, otherwise sunny and cool. It will be windy and gusty over the western interior, especially from mid-morning onwards. Blowing dust could locally reduce visibility over these areas and could also result in minor disruption and discomfort for voters at voting stations.

“It is also very encouraging that daytime weather conditions will remain pleasantly cool over the southern half of the country, while the northern provinces will be warm, but not particularly hot.”

According to SAWS, it is recommended that voters and election officials be cognisant of the outlook for predominantly sunny conditions for large parts of the country.

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“Wide-brimmed hats, sunblock and sunglasses are therefore recommended, especially if voting queues result in voters standing in direct sunshine for extended periods. Moreover, it is a good idea to remember to drink water regularly in order to avoid dehydration. It is also important to bear in mind that infants, small children as well as the elderly and infirm are highly prone to dehydration, especially when the weather is sunny, dry and warm, as will be the case on Voting Day,” the service said.

 

May 28, 2024
Lowvelder 2 minutes read
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