October 9, 2024

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Brace for the big freeze! Snow and thundershowers predicted for parts of SA

Light snowfall is expected over the high-lying areas of the Western Cape overnight on Thursday.

According to the South African Weather Service (Saws), the snow’s depth will spread to the escarpments of the Eastern Cape by Friday.

Speaking to IOL, Saws meteorologist and weather forecaster, Lehlohonolo Thobela said snow will also spread into Lesotho and western areas of KwaZulu-Natal by the evening on Friday.

Thobela said isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are expected to be confined to the south and eastern areas of the country from Thursday, with a widespread chance of thundershowers expected over Gauteng, Free State and the western parts of KZN on Friday evening into Saturday.

“The rain will start to clear in the east from Sunday,” Thobela added.

In KZN, disaster management teams remain on high alert across the province following the weather warning of heavy rains.

The affected areas include; Abaqulusi, Alfred Duma – Indaka, Alfred Duma – Ladysmith, Big Five Hlabisa – Hlabisa, Big Five Hlabisa – Hluhluwe, Dannhauser, Dr N. Dlamini-Zuma – Underberg, eDumbe, eMadlangeni, Endumeni, Ethekwini, Greater Kokstad, Impendle, Ingwe, Inkosi Langalibalele – Escourt, Inkosi Langalibalele – Sobabili, KwaDukuza, Mandeni, Maphumulo, Mkhambathini, Mpofana – Giants Castle, Mpofana – Mooi River, Msinga, Mthonjaneni, Mtubatuba, Ndwedwe, Newcastle, and Nkandla.

“Adverse weather conditions, including damaging winds, excessive lightning, and heavy downpours, are expected over most parts of KZN today, except in the north-east. These conditions will persist into tomorrow morning over the southern parts and Midlands,” the department said.

Thobela explained that the country is currently in spring, with weather patterns transitioning from winter into summer.

“It is still early days of spring, so we are yet to still receive cold spells over the southern interior of the country due to different weather systems like cut-off-lows, cold fronts and surface high pressure systems ridging along the east coast. Although it is not seasonal for SA to receive snow in Spring, it happens, and it is still possible as we are still in a transition stage from winter into summer,” Thobela said.

IOL News

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