SA braces for coldest day of the year

A strong cold front is expected to bring snow, ice, rain and the coldest day of the year yet.

The South African Weather Service’s Wayne Venter said Tuesday morning will be the coldest morning of the year yet, with many localities over the country’s interior expected to drop well below freezing and widespread morning frost anticipated.

“A cold snap will affect South Africa until Tuesday, as a series of cold fronts impact the Cape provinces from Sunday onwards. Several cold fronts are expected to reach South Africa’s shores during the coming week,” he said.

Intense cold front from tomorrow

Venter said the first weather system of the series is an intense cold front that was expected to affect the western and central parts of the country from tomorrow and the eastern parts from Monday.

“This system is expected to bring about widespread and disruptive snowfall over the southern and western high ground, accompanied by damaging winds over the interior, as well as the coastline, high seas along the coastal areas and very cold conditions over a significant part of the country.

“Heavy rainfall is also expected over the western parts of the Western Cape, where flooding is likely,” he said.

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Venter said the cold front will exit the country on Tuesday morning as another cold front approaches the Western Cape.

Disruptive snow over mountainous areas of WC

Vox meteorologist Annette Botha said the European ECMWF forecasting model was picking up heavy and disruptive snow likely to fall tomorrow into Monday over mountainous areas of the Western Cape.

“Weather models are indicating freezing levels will drop low enough for a light dusting of snowfall on Table Mountain tomorrow,” she said.

Botha said the forecast could change and added that the snow might be accompanied by rain or ice rain.

“More than 10cm in the Karoo in towns like Sutherland and surrounding areas. Heavy snowfall is also likely to fall over the mountainous areas of the Eastern Cape and the Southerland area,” she said.

Western Cape MEC for local government, environmental affairs and development planning Anton Bredell said the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) is preparing for a series of cold fronts hitting the province from tomorrow until Friday next week.

ALSO READ: Western Cape disaster centre prepares for intense cold fronts from Sunday until Tuesday

PDMC on standby

Bredell said PDMC was briefed by the weather service on the approaching weather systems. “The PDMC is on standby and the various municipal district disaster centres are ready to be activated.

“Emergency, rescue and social services are prepared to respond to any eventualities.

“Provincial departments are represented at the PDMC and will be ready to provide support,” he said.

“Due to the combination of high winds, heavy rain and snowfalls over high mountains expected, we urge residents to avoid unnecessary travel.

“Strong winds, combined with rain-saturated soil increase the risks for trees and tall structures to topple,” he said.