Pretoria storm uproots trees, damages cars and buildings

Pretoria residents have taken to social media to share pictures and videos of the destruction caused by storms on Tuesday evening.

This follows a warning from the South African Weather Service (SAWS) of first Spring thunderstorms over the eastern parts of the country.

“A lot of storms around Gauteng this evening. These storms are producing strong winds but not a lot of rain,” said the weather service.

There were multiple reports of structural damages in parts of Pretoria, while trees were uprooted.

The storm is said to have caused destruction in Koster and Rustenburg as well.

The SA Weather Service expects a stormy weekend and early next week ahead for large parts of the country.

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“A possible cut-off low system may bring widespread showers, thunderstorms and strong winds to western, southern and central South Africa from Sunday. It is however worth noting that cut-off lows are difficult to predict and this is a very advanced outlook so it will most likely change,” it said.

A yellow level 1 warning for damaging waves has been issued between Cape Point and Port Alfred on Wednesday, subsiding west of Plettenberg Bay in the afternoon.

The weather service expects a disruption of beachfront activities and small vessels at risk of taking on water and capsising.

Western Cape weather

Over the weekend, waves up to 9.5 metres affected more than 50% of the South African coast. This resulted in damage to buildings, swept away vehicles, beach erosion, multiple injuries and two deaths.

According to the weather service, maximum observed wave heights were 9.5 metre along the south coast, while the east coast reported wave heights of 5.0 to 7.0 metre.

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“Winter is not yet over in the Western Cape. While residents have been looking forward to a spring season, the province has continued to experience cold, wet and windy conditions from a series of cold fronts moving through the area,” it said.

“Conducive weather conditions colliding along with a spring tide event resulted in positive storm surge effects experienced along the South African coastline which wreaked havoc to coastal areas over the past weekend. A combination of the high waves, spring tide, and conducive wind conditions resulted in positive storm surge with its effects experienced along the coast at various locations.”