Cold, wet weather to spread to Gauteng on Sunday

The cold weather conditions experienced in the Cape provinces over the last few days are expected to spread over Gauteng, North West and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) from Sunday.

This is according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS).

Speaking to The Citizen on Saturday, SAWS weather forecaster Kgolofelo Mahlangu said some areas in the northeast of South Africa would not be spared from these conditions. But that’s not unusual for this time of the year, and similar conditions would also be experienced in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Free State.

The cut-off-low pressure system, which is behind the recent downpours and cold weather over the Cape areas, is expected to persist on Saturday as well as on Sunday.

“Almost the entire country can expect showers and thundershowers on Saturday except for Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. There’s a 60% chance of rain expected over the southern parts of KZN, southern Free State, as well as De Aar in the Northern Cape.

ALSO READ: More heavy rain and flooding expected before autumn arrives

“Residents in the Eastern Cape can expect an 80% chance of showers and thundershowers with a 100% expected over the wild coast,” said Mahlangu.

The heavy downpours, which wreaked havoc in different parts of the country over the last summer rainfall season, had been predicted to last at least until the end of the current Autumn season.

Snowfall is also expected along Lesotho, with more expected over the Barkley East area.

Warnings:

• A warning for damaging waves has also been issued for the West and Northern Cape coastlines.
• A level six warning for disruptive rainfall has been issued for the Eastern Cape along the wild coast.
• Level four for disruptive rainfall for places such as Aliwal North, closer to the Free State and for KZN.
• A warning for damaging winds over the interior of the Western Cape has also been issued.

As the cut-of-low pressure system remains in place on Sunday, a huge band of showers is also expected over the North West, Gauteng, Limpopo and KZN.

READ MORE: Level 6 warning: Disruptive rain to hit parts of KZN and Eastern Cape

Mahlangu says while the system is expected to clear on Monday and Tuesday, another cold front is expected to brush over the southwestern parts of the country, spreading to the Eastern Cape.

“An upper air trough is also expected to move from Namibia to Botswana before reaching Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga and KZN.

“A huge band of showers is expected over most parts, except in parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the central and western areas of the Northern Cape on Thursday,” Mahlangu said.

Mahlangu added that residents in most parts of the country can expect the rain to persist on Friday.

Drop in daytime temperatures

Residents in Gauteng, North West, KZN and the Mpumalanga escarpment can expect daytime temperatures to dip on Sunday and further drop on Monday.

Gauteng is likely to only peak at highs of 18 degrees Celsius on Monday.

NOW READ: Brace yourselves: South Africa set for widespread snow this week