Hang in there Joburg, spring is only slightly delayed

The first day of spring in Johannesburg has not been kind to eager residents looking to spend more time outside in the warm sunlight. 

South African Weather Service (SAWS) forecaster Kumsa Masizana said cold temperatures are expected to persist from Tuesday into Wednesday morning, with cloudy conditions and a slight chance of thundershowers.

Temperatures will still be slightly cold even though clouds are forecast to break up on Wednesday morning, with a maximum of 22℃ expected. 

But spring will only be delayed until Thursday, with Masizana confirming that later in the week, temperatures are expected to reach 25℃ and above. 

It is still too early to tell whether Joburg residents will experience another cold snap before officially packing their coats away, Masizana said, adding that the first Highveld thunderstorms could potentially hit on Tuesday evening, and persist into Wednesday morning. 

The country has experienced teeth-chattering cold snaps in the last week, with snow reported to have fallen in Sutherland in the Northern Cape as recently as Sunday.  

It may be a good idea to delay gardening activities until the weather warms up, and to keep a warm coat handy, in case the weather turns again. But in the meantime, Gauteng can look forward to celebrating spring by this weekend. 

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