Weather update: The coldest day of the year is here

Brace yourself and take shelter as the coldest day of the year is here, with snow and heavy rain expected as a strong cold front passes through the country.

Kumsa Masizana, forecaster at the South African Weather Service (Saws), said the temperatures were going to remain low over the weekend.

“The current cold front will bring disruptive snowfall which might make it difficult for motorist travelling through the passes high-lying areas of the Western Cape and Northern Cape,” Masizana said.

She said rain was expected for the next few days over the Northern Cape, Western Cape and Eastern Cape.

“[On Thursday] we are going to start feeling the cold temperatures over the North West, Free State and Gauteng,” she said.

Sutherland in the Northern Cape was expected to drop to a maximum temperature of only 2°C and a minimum temperature of -5°C.

“The cold front started in the Western Cape and Northern Cape on Wednesday,” Masizana said.

Masizana said frost was expected across areas in the Free State, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape, with the minimum temperatures dipping below zero.

Jannie Raath, manager for TLU in the Free State and North West, said the most vulnerable in the cold were livestock.

“This is especially true for sheep, who die easily without wool,” Raath said.

– marizkac@citizen.co.za