Cold, wet weather to grip SA this week

As schools reopen, a cold and wet week lies ahead for most parts of SA, with widespread rain, isolated showers and the possibility of light snowfall forecast in several regions. 

This Monday into Tuesday, isolated to scattered chances of rain and showers are expected over most parts of the Northern Cape into the Eastern Cape, intensifying to a 60% chance of rain and showers over the eastern half of the Eastern Cape.

SA Weather Service forecaster Lehlogonolo Thobela said there was also a possibility of snow over the high-lying areas of Lesotho into the Drakensberg Mountains over the extreme eastern parts of the Eastern Cape. 

There is a 60% chance of rain and showers along the south coast into the southwest coast.

“On Tuesday isolated showers and rain are expected over the eastern parts of the Northern Cape into the Eastern Cape, the southern parts of the Free State as well as KwaZulu-Natal and the Lowveld of Mpumalanga.

“However, a 60% chance of rain and showers is expected over the eastern half of the Eastern Cape into the coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal later in the afternoon, with the possibility of disruptive rain along the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal,” said Thobela.

On Wednesday partly cloudy conditions with cool temperatures are expected to dominate over the central parts into the eastern parts of the country, with isolated showers and rain expected over the eastern parts of the Northern Cape, the Free State and the southern areas of the North West.

The partly cloudy conditions are still expected to dominate over most parts of the country on Thursday, with cold to cool conditions expected but warm in the extreme northern parts covering areas over the northern parts of Limpopo into the lowveld of Mpumalanga.

There will be a 30% chance of rain and showers for the North West, the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and into KwaZulu-Natal. 

Thobela said Friday would bring isolated showers and rain over most parts of the southwestern areas as a cold front slips south of the country, with a 30% chance of showers and rain over the Western Cape as well as the southern parts of the Free State. 

Cold temperatures were expected over the escarpments of Lesotho into the extreme eastern parts of the Eastern Cape.

Saturday and Sunday

Very cold conditions are expected on Saturday over the southwestern interior with windy conditions and a 30% chance of showers and rain along the south coast.

Possible light snow is forecast for the eastern half of the Western Cape into the extreme southwestern parts of the Eastern Cape, with windy conditions expected along the coast into the central interior, covering areas around the Northern Cape into the Free State and the western parts of the North West.

“On Sunday, cold temperatures will persist, especially over the eastern half of the Eastern Cape, resulting in light snow over the Drakensberg Mountains that lead to the Lesotho mountains, with a 30% chance of showers and rain expected into the afternoon.

Thobela said the conditions were expected over most parts of the eastern half of the Eastern Cape with a 30% chance of showers and rain over most parts of the western areas of KwaZulu-Natal into the escarpment of Mpumalanga.

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