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WATCH: ‘We feel like kids’ – Best of the Johannesburg snow videos
'Wit Blitz'? Johannesburg residents were greeted this morning with snow making landfall in the City of Gold.
Snow made landfall in Johannesburg on Monday morning, 10 July, turning the scenery outside the SABC studio in Auckland park into an icy winter wonderland. Picture: X/ @Bongi43
Snow in Gauteng is a rare occurrence with 2012 being the last time snowfall was recorded in Johannesburg. On Monday morning, however, residents woke up to the sight of a flurry of snowflakes dusting the city landscape.
The meteorological event comes after temperatures dropped to at least -6°C in the southern parts of Gauteng on Sunday evening.
Freezing temperatures and snow in Johannesburg
On Friday, the South African Weather Service (Saws) forecast freezing temperatures as a powerful cold front was set to sweep through most parts of the country from Friday until Monday.
On Monday morning, Saws confirmed that snow has been observed in parts of Gauteng, caused by an “intense upper through system” with minimum temperatures recorded to have met criteria for snowy conditions. The maximum temperatures are expected to reach 13°C in the northern areas of Gauteng.
According to the weather office, most of Monday morning’s snowfall was observed in Heidelberg.
But snow in Johannesburg?!
WATCH: It’s snowing in Johannesburg!
Johannesburg residents headed to social media to share videos and photos of the snow.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Winter wonderland, it’s snowing in Joburg!
Warning: Slippery roads
The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) said snowfall across the city caused congestion on the city’s roads with visibility also impacted.
This was coupled with a warning of slippery roads by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD).
Snowfall in the Eastern Cape also caused havoc on some of the region’s roads, with the province’s transport department warning drivers to approach mountain passes with extra caution.
“Several incidents of vehicles skidding off the road due to snow have been reported. A taxi at the Penhoek pass [skidded off the road] while a bus has suffered the same fate at the Lootsberg Pass on the N9 between Graaff-Reinet and Middelburg,” the department said on Monday.
Gauteng snow
According to Saws, snow has fallen in the south of Gauteng, in areas such as Soweto, Alberton and Roodepoort.
“Some of the areas that observed snow include the eastern areas of Gauteng, Heidelberg and parts of Vosloorus. Most of the snow that was observed since morning was over Heidelberg. Light snowfall and sleet are still possible over the highveld and the escarpment of Mpumalanga.”
According to Saws forecaster Tokelo Chiloane, temperatures are expected to start getting warmer from Tuesday.
“Tomorrow [Tuesday] we are expecting temperatures to start warming up. There is a possibility that this is the last of the snow that can be seen this morning, as the day progresses temperatures are warming up.”
Icy throwback: 2012 snow in Joburg
According to ibtimes, Saws records show that during the past 103 years, Johannesburg experienced only 22 days of snowfall.
On 7 August 2012, Johannesburg recorded temperatures of -2°C with a white blanket of snow draping cars and sidewalks in the city centre.
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