South Africa is preparing for a weekend of severe weather conditions, with cold fronts, heavy rainfall, and damaging waves forecast to impact various regions. The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued several warnings, urging residents to take necessary precautions and stay updated on the latest developments.
The western parts of the country are set to experience the brunt of the weather, as another cold front sweeps across the Western Cape and Northern Cape from Friday. The SAWS predicts very cold, wet, and windy conditions, with daytime temperatures plummeting to 10°C and below in some areas and wind speeds reaching up to 30km/h. Widespread rain is also expected.
The Western Cape provincial Disaster Management Centre has warned of the impending icy conditions, urging residents to avoid flooded areas and small stock farmers to protect their livestock. Local Government, Environmental Affairs and MEC Anton Bredell echoed these concerns, stating: “A strong cold front is forecast to hit the western parts of the country on Friday, bringing daytime temperatures of 10°C and below, winds up to 30 km/h and widespread rain and wet conditions.”
The SAWS has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for damaging waves between Hondeklip Bay and Plettenberg Bay until Saturday afternoon, with waves of 4.5m- 5.5m expected along the coast. This could lead to people being swept off rocks, small boats capsizing, and disruptions at ports. A Yellow Level 1 warning is also in place for damaging waves and winds between Plettenberg Bay and Hamburg until Saturday.
The advisory also states that very cold, wet, and windy conditions are expected over the southern parts of the Namakwa district of the Northern Cape, as well as the Witzenberg and Breede Valley municipalities, and the Koue Bokkeveld of the Western Cape.
The SAWS uses a colour-coded weather warning system, where yellow indicates a moderate risk of impact that requires caution and awareness. The numbers indicate the likelihood of weather-based impact, with Levels 2 and 6 being high and Level 4 being low.
The approaching cold front follows a weekend of heavy rain that left approximately 10,000 people displaced and in need of humanitarian assistance in various informal settlements across the Western Cape, according to estimates from Gift of the Givers.
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is also bracing for disruptive rainfall, with the SAWS issuing a Yellow Level 2 warning for heavy rain and possible flooding in the southern parts of the province on Saturday.
Forecaster Sihle Dlamini says a 30% chance of showers is expected across most areas of KZN, with a 60% chance on the South Coast.
"The areas that are covered by this warning includes; eThekwini, KwaDukuza, Mandeni, Mapumulo, Ndwedwe, Ray Nkonyeni, Umlazi as well as Umzumbe," Dlamini stated. "Those areas we're expecting them to be impacted and the impacts that are expected by this warning, we expecting some localized flooding for informal settlements and might also encounter some difficulty in driving because the roads might be slippery. We also looking at some mud build houses where we are expecting those to be impacted."
The Municipality’s Disaster Management Directorate said it will be actively monitoring the situation in close collaboration with emergency services and is prepared to respond to any resulting emergencies. The public is urged to avoid crossings over overflowing rivers and streams.
Dlamini also noted that temperatures will drop on Saturday as a cold front moves through the province. "Usually when a cold front passes just behind it, that's where you're going find cold temperatures. In this case, we're going to be falling behind the cold front. That is why then you encounter cold conditions just behind the cold front."
Very cold conditions are also expected in places over the Chris Hani and Alfred Nzo district municipalities, and the Elundini and Mhlontlo local municipalities of the Eastern Cape on Saturday.
The SA Weather Service has issued the following warnings for Saturday:
- A Level 2 warning for disruptive rain resulting in localised flooding of susceptible formal/informal settlements or roads, low-lying areas and bridges, minor motor vehicle accidents due to slippery roads and reduced visibility along the south coast and adjacent interior of KwaZulu-Natal.
- A Level 2 warning for damaging waves resulting in difficulty in navigation at sea and small vessels are at risk of taking on water and capsizing between Hondeklip Bay and Plettenberg Bay until Saturday afternoon.
- A Level 1 warning for damaging waves and winds resulting in difficulty in navigation, small vessels are at risk of taking on water and localised disruption to ports/ harbours between Plettenberg Bay and Hamburg until Saturday.
Regional forecasts from the SA Weather Service for Saturday:
- Gauteng: Fine and cool.
- Mpumalanga: Fine and cool.
- Limpopo: Fine and cool to warm.
- North West: Fine and cool.
- Free State: Fine and cold to cool, becoming partly cloudy in the extreme east with isolated evening showers.
- Northern Cape: Morning fog patches in the south, otherwise fine and cold to cool but warm in the north. It will be very cold in the south. The wind along the coast will be moderate southerly to south-easterly.
- Western Cape: Morning fog patches in the north-east, otherwise fine and cold to cool. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate easterly to south-easterly.
- Western Half of the Eastern Cape: Partly cloudy with morning fog in the north, otherwise fine and cold. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate south-westerly.
- Eastern Half of the Eastern Cape: Fog in places in the north in the morning, otherwise cloudy and very cold to cold with isolated showers and rain, but scattered along the wild coast and adjacent interior. The wind along the coast will be light south-westerly.
- KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog in places in the south-west, otherwise cloudy and cold to cool with isolated showers and rain but scattered along the south coast and adjacent interior. It will be partly cloudy in the north-east. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly.
Travellers forecasts from the SA Weather Service for Saturday:
- Pretoria: Fine, Minimum/Maximum: 03/21°C
- Johannesburg: Fine, Minimum/Maximum: 04/21°C
- Vereeniging: Fine, Minimum/Maximum: -2/20°C
- Mbombela: Fine, Minimum/Maximum: 06/23°C
- Polokwane: Fine, Minimum/Maximum: 04/22°C
- Mahikeng: Fine, Minimum/Maximum: 03/22°C
- Vryburg: Fine, Minimum/Maximum: 03/22°C
- Bloemfontein: Fine, Minimum/Maximum: 4/20°C
- Kimberley: Fine, Minimum/Maximum: 05/22°C
- Upington: Fine, Minimum/Maximum: 05/23°C
- Cape Town: Fine, Wind: Light to moderate southerly to south-easterly, Minimum/Maximum: 08/16°C
- George: Fine, Wind: Light easterly, Minimum/Maximum: 05/15°C
- Gqeberha: Fine, Wind: Light to moderate south-westerly, Minimum/Maximum: 10/16°C
- East London: Cloudy with isolated showers and rain, Wind: Light to moderate south-westerly, Minimum/Maximum: 13/16°C
- Durban: Cloudy with scattered showers and rain, Wind: Moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly, Minimum/Maximum: 16/19°C
- Richards Bay: Cloudy with scattered showers and rain, Wind: Moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly, Minimum/Maximum: 15/20°C
- Pietermaritzburg: Morning fog, otherwise cloudy with isolated showers and rain, Minimum/Maximum: 08/14°C
As the weather is subject to change, residents are encouraged to stay alert for updates from the SAWS, who will provide timely adjustments to the warnings as necessary. The safety of all South Africans is paramount during this period of inclement weather.
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