Western and Eastern Cape brace for disruptive rain, flooding and snow
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) says a cut-off low-pressure system is expected to bring cold, wet and windy weather to the central and southern parts of the country on Wednesday, with possible localised flooding in the Eastern and Western Cape.
Image credit: Chapelle Musa 2, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
"A cold front is expected to slip south of the country, with a cut-off low deepening west of the country, which is expected to propagate eastwards across South Africa from Wednesday and finally exit the country towards the weekend," the weather service said.
Heavy downpours
Showers and rain can be anticipated over the south-western parts, spreading along the south coast and adjacent interior.
An influx of rainfall may lead to heavy downpours and possible flooding over the southern parts of the country on Wednesday and Thursday.
Tuesday’s forecast indicates fine conditions in the east.
Elsewhere, it will be partly cloudy and cold to cool, with isolated to scattered showers and rain along the coast and nearby interior of the Western Cape, as well as the western parts of the Eastern Cape.
On Wednesday, conditions will be cloudy and cold to cool, with isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers.
These are expected to become widespread over the southern parts of the country.
Snowfall is also expected over the mountainous areas of the Eastern Cape.
The weather service has issued the following warnings:
- Disruptive rain may endanger lives, flood roads and bridges, create fast-moving streams and rivers, and force the closure of major roads in the eastern parts of the Garden Route District in the Western Cape, as well as along the coast and adjacent interior between Plettenberg Bay and East London in the Eastern Cape, on Wednesday and Thursday.
- Disruptive rain is also expected to cause localised flooding in settlements, on roads, in low-lying areas, and over bridges in parts of the eastern Western Cape and southern Eastern Cape on Wednesday and Thursday.
- Damaging winds and waves may cause localised disruptions at small harbours or ports and make navigation difficult for small vessels and personal watercraft between Cape Point and Plettenberg Bay on Wednesday and Thursday.
- Very cold, wet and windy conditions are expected over the central and eastern interior of the Western Cape, the southern parts of the Namakwa District in the Northern Cape, and parts of the Eastern Cape from Wednesday to Thursday.