SA Weather Service issues level 1 warning for disruptive snow over Drakensberg

South Africans should brace themselves for a cold Friday, with isolated showers expected in some parts of the country, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned.

A yellow level 1 warning for disruptive snow has been issued over the southern Drakensberg in the morning. This will result in traffic disruptions, isolated loss of vulnerable livestock and crops, the weather service has warned.

The weather service has also issued a yellow level 2 warning for damaging winds and waves, resulting in difficulty in navigation at sea between Cape Columbine and Algoa Bay, spreading to Coffee Bay on Saturday.

“Very cold, wet and windy conditions are expected over the interior of the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape, the Namakwa district as well as the south-eastern parts of the Northern Cape, and the Free State Province until Saturday,” warned the weather service.

“Such conditions are problematic to small stock farmers, particularly sheering of sheep and goats. Public taking part in hiking and outdoor recreational activities should take necessary precautions, and drivers should be aware of possible slippery conditions along the mountain passes of the Eastern Cape where light snowfall can be expected.”

Friday’s weather service

Gauteng: Fine and cold but cool weather in the north. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High.

Mpumalanga: Fine in the west, otherwise partly cloudy and cool to cold but cloudy along the escarpment with isolated showers and thundershowers. It will be warm in the eastern Lowveld.

Limpopo: Partly cloudy in the east, otherwise fine and cool but warm in the Lowveld and Limpopo Valley.

North West: Fine, windy and cold to cool weather.

Free State: Partly cloudy and cold, with showers and thundershowers along the Lesotho border.

Northern Cape: Fine in the north-east where it will be cool to warm, otherwise partly cloudy and cold with showers and thundershowers in the south-east. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly.

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Western Cape: Morning mist over the west coast, otherwise cloudy and cold with light rain and isolated showers over the south-west but scattered over the extreme south-west.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh westerly to north-westerly reaching strong south of Saldanha Bay from the morning but gale south of Cape Point. The expected UVB sunburn index: Low.

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy and cold with isolated showers. Light snowfalls expected over the northern high mountains in the morning. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate south-westerly becoming fresh to strong by midday.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy and cold with isolated showers and thundershowers but scattered along the Wild Coast. Snowfalls are expected over the high lying areas from the morning. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly.

KwaZulu-Natal: Cloudy and cold, but cool weather in the east. Scattered showers and thundershowers are expected. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Low.