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Cold conditions, heavy rain and possible snow in Mpumalanga this week

After a scorcher of extreme heat over the past week, heavy rain with a possibility of light snowfall is predicted over Belfast and the Dullstroom areas of the Mpumalanga escarpment.

October 29, 2023
Bertus de Bruyn 2 minutes read
> Photo: Stefan de Villiers

Parts of South Africa, including Mpumalanga, are in for a prolonged spell of widespread and heavy rainfall in places from Monday October 30.

This is according to a statement by the  SAWS.

“On Monday and Tuesday, widespread tropically sourced rainfall will set in over the central and eastern half of the country with heavy falls and flooding a distinct likelihood,” said the SAWS.

Contributors to the Twitter and Facebook group Reënval in Suid-Afrika posted various photos and videos of heavy rain and hail on Sunday October 29.

Light snow on Sunday morning was also experienced in the Opsoek District in Ladysmith in the Western Cape.

According to the SAWS, the cause of the widespread and inclement weather is the combination of two distinct weather systems.

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“Firstly, a strong surface high-pressure system, ridging well south of the country, will introduce cold, moisture-laden air over the southeastern and eastern coast and interior. Secondly, the development of a cut-off low over the central interior of the country will promote pronounced instability and uplift, thus promoting rainfall over the eastern provinces. A further factor that will enhance the likelihood and amount of rain, will be the tropical nature of the airmass. Tropically sourced air is well known to be associated with rainfall of a potentially heavy, widespread nature.”

SAWS also warned that disruptive to light snowfalls can be expected.

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“A significant lowering of the altitude at which sub-zero temperatures occur, commonly referred to as the ‘freezing level’, will most likely result in disruptive snowfall over the Drakensberg mountains and Van Reenens Pass on the N3 highway in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday. Lighter snowfalls can be expected over higher peaks of adjoining provinces such as the Eastern Cape and extreme eastern Free State. There is even a small but distinct possibility of light snowfalls over the Roossenekal Pass as well as the Belfast and Dullstroom areas of the Mpumalanga escarpment early next week.”

The SAWS warned that the Highveld and escarpment of Mpumalanga may be affected by severe storms.

“As cold, moist and windy conditions invade over the Highveld from the east on Sunday, displacing the warmer air over the interior, conditions are expected to be highly favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms with large, damaging hail, heavy downpours and strong, damaging surface winds. Provinces that may be affected by severe storms include the northeastern Free State, western KZN, Gauteng, southern Limpopo as well as the highveld and escarpment of Mpumalanga.”

October 29, 2023
Bertus de Bruyn 2 minutes read
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