Light snowfall, cold and wetter weather expected as cold front hits SA

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has advised South Africans not to pack away their blankets and jerseys yet, as it anticipates wetter, colder and windy conditions in different parts of the country from Sunday.

After a couple of warmer days over the Western Cape this week, a significant change in the weather is expected from Sunday into Monday, due to a cold front that will make landfall over the south-western parts on Sunday afternoon, warned the weather service on Thursday.

“Sunday is going to be windy, with colder daytime temperatures over the extreme western parts of the country where isolated to scattered showers and rain over the Cape Winelands are expected.

“The showers and rain will persist until Monday morning, with light snowfall expected over the mountain peaks of the Cape Winelands as well as over the southern high ground of the Northern Cape, where it will be very cold.”

For the remainder of the western parts of South Africa, a cold and windy Monday is in the pipeline.

However, extremely high fire danger conditions expected over the Dawid Kruiper, Kai Garib, Kheis, Kareeberg and Ubuntu LM, Khai-ma and Karoo Hoogland municipalities of the Northern Cape, as well as the Central Karoo and the interior of the Garden route in the Western Cape on Friday.

Friday’s weather forecast:

Gauteng: Fine and cool. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High

Mpumalanga: Fine and warm.

Limpopo: Fine and warm

North West: Fine and warm.

Free State: Partly cloudy in the southern parts until late afternoon, otherwise fine and cool to warm. It will be windy in the southern parts.

Northern Cape: Cloudy along the coast at first but fine in the north, otherwise partly cloudy and cold to cool but warm in the north-eastern parts. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong north-westerly.

Western Cape: Cloudy and cold to cool with light morning drizzle over the south-western parts, otherwise partly cloudy to fine and cool to warm but hot over the eastern interior. It will be windy over the Central Karoo in the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-westerly to westerly becoming strong between Table Bay and Mossel Bay by the afternoon.
The expected UVB sunburn index: Moderate

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Partly cloudy and warm, but cool in places along the coast. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Partly cloudy and warm, but cool in places along the coast, west of Kei River. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly.

KwaZulu-Natal: Fine and warm but hot in places over the interior. The wind along the coast will be moderate northerly to north-easterly, becoming fresh to strong in the afternoon.
The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High

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Compiled by Siphumelele Khumalo and Vhahangwele Nemakonde