Cape Town – The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a warning for an intense cold front set to impact the Western Cape interior, Namakwa Municipality District in the Northern Cape, and the Eastern Cape on Monday.
The front will bring strong to gale-force winds, rough seas, and light snowfalls, with very cold conditions expected from Sunday through Monday.
“Very cold conditions are expected from Sunday and will persist into Monday,” said the weather service.
Meanwhile, the weather service has issued multiple yellow level 2 warnings across various provinces, anticipating severe weather conditions to impact several regions starting Monday.
Disruptive Rainfall and Localized Flooding: Residents in the West Coast, City of Cape Town, Cape Winelands, and western parts of the Overberg District Municipalities in the Western Cape are advised to brace for disruptive rainfall. This weather pattern is expected to lead to localized flooding of roads and settlements, posing potential hazards to commuters and residents alike.
Damaging Winds and Structural Risks: Simultaneously, damaging winds are forecasted over extensive areas, including the interior of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, southern and eastern parts of the Northern Cape, as well as southern parts of North West and KwaZulu-Natal. These winds may result in structural damage and present challenges for high-sided vehicles traveling on major roads.
Maritime Concerns: Along the coastline from Saldanha Bay to Port St. Johns, mariners and small vessel operators are urged to exercise caution. Expectations include damaging winds and waves, potentially complicating navigation and posing risks of capsizing for smaller vessels.
Additional Advisories: Inland, an approaching intense cold front is anticipated to make landfall, particularly affecting the southwestern parts of the country. This weather event will bring strong to gale force winds, very rough to high seas, and light snowfall in some interior regions of the Western Cape, Namakwa Municipality District in Northern Cape, and the interior of the Eastern Cape. Cold conditions are expected to persist into early next week.
Fire Danger and Other Updates: Across most parts of the country, excluding the western and northeastern regions, extremely high fire danger conditions are expected. This cautionary note underscores the need for heightened vigilance against potential wildfires.
As weather conditions evolve, the public is advised to stay informed through official weather updates and take necessary precautions to ensure safety and minimise risk during these anticipated severe weather events.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
