WEATHER: Spring on hold in parts of SA as snow forecast for Eastern Cape

JOHANNESBURG – The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned of disruptive snow and wet, rainy conditions across parts of the country this week. 

SAWS issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for disruptive snow, primarily over the Eastern Cape, which started on Sunday and is expected to continue into Monday and possibly Tuesday.

The snow, which is expected to reach up to six centimetres, can be expected over the high lying areas extending as far as the Drakensberg. 

SAWS earmarked disruptive snow for areas in the Eastern Cape including Graff Reinet, Elliot, Cradock, Molteno, Adelaide, Elundini, Lady Frere, Matatiele, Queenstown, and Stutterheim.

In addition to this, a Yellow Level 1 warning for damaging waves has also been issued for parts of the Western Cape, with strong to gale-force winds expected, SAWS forecaster Lehohonolo Thobela said. 

“Our weather warnings are expecting damaging winds and rain over the eastern and western coast, but we see a pickup in temperatures on Wednesday, where it will be warm over the central parts of the country, as well Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. Showers will still be confined to the south coast of the province as well as the eastern part of the Free State province, where we are expecting thundershowers.”