Winter On It’s Way: Cold Temperatures, Heavy Rain, Snow Expected In Parts Of SA

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) on Tuesday said it expected heavy downpours, cold temperatures, and even snow in some parts of the country this week.

The SAWS issued a warning for parts of Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga.

Early AM satellite image (left) (28 April 2020) and Rainfall (Right). Its a cloudy day over the central and eastern parts of SA with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers. Its going to be cold over the eastern, central and southern half of SA. Sunny in the west. pic.twitter.com/V38JH1XkIc
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) April 28, 2020

Forecaster Mbali Maliyakhe said Gauteng residents should brace for severe thunderstorms accompanied by hail and damaging winds. She said these storms could result in localised flooding over roads, low-lying areas, and bridges.

“For today, we are still expecting some thunderstorms to come later on in the afternoon. These thunderstorms are expected to continue up until tomorrow [Wednesday] morning. And then tomorrow morning, that’s when we are expecting mostly morning showers and there will be some partly cloudy conditions,” Maliyakhe said.

Maliyakhe said snowfall was also expected in KZN, the Free State, and the Eastern Cape as temperatures plunged across the country as well as in the mountains of neighbouring Lesotho.

“This system has brought about as well some snowfall around the Drakensberg mountains and some high laying areas of the Eastern Cape. This is the second snowfall event that has occurred over the country,” she said.

EWN