Gauteng to warm up despite national storms

The snow, drizzle and cloudy conditions countrywide were not likely to affect Gauteng, with temperatures expected to increase this weekend.

Vox Weather’s Michelle Cordier said the onshore airflow due to a ridging high pressure was responsible for the cloudy conditions and drizzle across the eastern escarpment and the Lowveld.

“The cut-off pressure system will only affect the country today and tomorrow, with severe thunderstorms and damaging winds possible. Most rain is expected to fall over the south of the Free State, north of the Eastern Cape and far southeastern parts of the Northern Cape.

“We can expect a cut-off low-pressure system to develop and move over the central parts of the country, bringing scattered thundershowers over the interior, with rain possible over North West, Northern Cape, Free State, Gauteng,” she said.

Strong winds and rain

Cordier said strong winds were expected tomorrow over parts of the Free State, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape with up to 30mm of rain expected to formulate over Free State, Northern Cape and Lesotho.

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“The freezing levels are dropping low enough for snow to fall overnight into tomorrow morning in Lesotho and southern parts of the Drakensberg, with up to 10cm of snow likely to accumulate in the evening,” she said.

Cordier said it was the perfect opportunity for those wanting to see snow.

“It will be cold around Lesotho and the surrounding areas, but otherwise the system will not bring much cold to the rest of the country.”

“On the contrary, it will be warm over the eastern parts of the country and in KwaZulu-Natal tomorrow, and especially over the weekend,” she said.

Sunday temps increase ahead of strong cold front

Cordier said by Sunday temperatures were expected to increase above 30°C along the east coast, in KwaZulu-Natal and Lowveld and then around 25°C in Gauteng, ahead of a strong cold front that will move across the Cape on Sunday again.

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The cold front’s intensity last weekend saw temperatures drop as low as -9.5°C in Wepener and -8°C in Bethlehem, Cordier said.

SA Weather Service forecaster Celeste Fourie said windy, dry and fair weather are forecast for this month.

“We can expect normal August weather with strong winds but nothing out of the ordinary.”

Stronger winds usually occurred over the central north and western parts of the Northern Cape.

Fourie said the seasonal forecast indicated above-average temperatures for August.

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“We have only had two really intense weather conditions this season so far,” Fourie says.