A rainy, cold weekend ahead for most parts of South Africa

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned residents in the eastern parts of the Northern and Eastern Cape, Free State, North-West, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Highveld region of Mpumalanga to brace themselves for a cold and rainy weekend.

Rainy and cold conditions are expected to set in on Friday and throughout the weekend over the central and south-eastern parts of the country.

According to the weather service, localised flooding is likely to affect the agricultural sector, infrastructure in the interior regions, while disruptions to beachfront activities as well as incidents of damage to coastal infrastructure may also occur along the coastal regions between Port Alfred and Sodwana Bay.

While a general clearing of rainy conditions is expected on Sunday over the Northern Cape, western parts of the North West and Free State, as well as the north-western parts of the Eastern Cape, flooding is expected to persist on Sunday over the eastern parts of North-West, Free State and the Eastern Cape.

“This wet spell will be accompanied by cold to very cold conditions over the southern and south-eastern interior of the country on Friday, spreading to the central and eastern interior by Saturday,” said the weather service.  

Light snowfalls can also be expected over the eastern and southern parts of Lesotho and the surrounding Drakensberg mountains on Saturday evening as well as overnight Sunday night.

“A sharp upper-air trough will form seaward of the south-west coast of South Africa on Friday. This upper- air trough is likely to propagate north-eastwards, whilst intensifying into a cut-off low (COL) over the south-western Cape on Saturday afternoon, 9 April 2022.

“The COL system (which will be supported and augmented by an Atlantic Ocean High within the lower atmosphere, ridging eastwards, south of the country) is expected to affect the central, southern and south-eastern interior of South Africa, exiting the south-eastern coastline of the country by Tuesday.”

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A yellow level 1 warning for damaging waves has been issued between Cannon Rocks and Port Edward on Friday.

The weather service has urged the public to avoid crossing rivers and swollen streams, especially in cases where the water is more than ankle deep.

It further advised the public to move to higher ground if rising floodwaters threaten their safety.

“The South African Weather Service will continue to monitor any further developments relating to this weather system and will issue subsequent updates as required.”