A cold front, accompanied by a steep upper-air trough, is expected to make landfall over the Western and Northern Cape on Sunday, August 9, bringing cold to very cold, wet and windy conditions, rough seas and snowfall over mountainous areas.
According to the South African Weather Service (SAWS), the adverse weather will spread eastwards into the Eastern Cape as the system moves across the country.
By Monday, 10 August, the upper-air trough is expected to deepen further over the central and eastern parts of South Africa, extending the cold to very cold conditions inland.
Scattered to widespread rain and showers are forecast over the southern parts of the country, while snow is expected over the mountainous regions of the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
Although there is a low probability of light snowfall over some higher-lying areas outside these provinces, forecasters said confidence remains highest for the mountain ranges in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
SAWS warned that the weather system could result in localised flooding of low-lying areas, roads, bridges and informal settlements due to persistent rainfall.
Damaging winds may also cause trees to fall, damage roofs and infrastructure, interrupt electricity supply and create hazardous driving conditions.
Along the coast, rough seas and damaging waves are expected to pose risks to maritime activities and coastal infrastructure.
The very cold conditions could increase the risk of exposure for vulnerable communities and place additional stress on livestock.
Snowfall over mountain passes may also lead to dangerous driving conditions, road closures and transport disruptions.
SAWS has urged the public, motorists, farmers and disaster management authorities to monitor its latest forecasts and weather warnings and to take the necessary precautions as the weather system moves across the country.
IOL
Se-Anne Rall
iol.co.za