According to SAWS, South Africa is in for a very cold weekend with widespread rainfall and possible flooding predicted into early next week.

“Following recent prolonged heatwaves and below-average rainfall over much of South Africa’s interior, cooler and unsettled weather conditions are expected across many regions over the coming days,” said the statement.

🌧️⛈️Weather outlook for Friday & Saturday, 5 & 6 April 2024.
Scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers are expected over the central and eastern areas of the country.#saws #weatheroutlook #southafricanweather pic.twitter.com/bli4X3tCHP

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) April 3, 2024

An intense low-pressure system, known as a cut-off low, is forecasted to bring widespread showers and thundershowers to many parts of the country this weekend into early next week, April 6 to 9.

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❄ ADVANCED SNOW FORECAST: The first snowfall of 2024 is possible this weekend – https://t.co/qs5oMScTA4 #snowreportsa #africansnow pic.twitter.com/w7BJJFyguQ

— Snow Report SA (@SnowReportSA) April 3, 2024

“Cut-off lows are large weather systems notorious for causing widespread flooding, as evidenced by events such as the well-known KZN flooding in 2022 and the Laingsburg flooding in 1981.These weather systems can also bring damaging winds, severe thunderstorms and even snow, depending on the season in which they develop. Cut-off lows are most frequent during the autumn and spring seasons, with the highest frequency during the month of April. Tropical moisture has been transported from our neighbouring countries to the central and eastern interior of South Africa since Wednesday April 3. This will result in scattered rainfall to continue today, Thursday April 4, and Friday April 5, which will spread to the southern parts of the Western Cape and parts of the Eastern Cape tonight into Friday. Cooler temperatures are forecasted for the southern and eastern parts of the country from tomorrow [Friday].”

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🌧️⛈️Weather & severe weather alert for tomorrow, 04 April 2024.#saws#southafricanweather#weatherupdate pic.twitter.com/WgYxyhJCgZ

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) April 3, 2024

Following this, an intense cut-off low is expected to develop along the west coast of the country from Saturday afternoon.
According to SAWS, the system will then move over the Northern Cape on Sunday, reach the interior of the Western Cape on Monday, and exit along the southern coast of the Western Cape on Tuesday April 9.

“Widespread showers and thundershowers are expected to develop over much of the country during Saturday and will continue until at least Tuesday, after which calm and clear weather conditions will return to many areas. Persistent showers and thundershowers may lead to flooding over the central and eastern parts of the country, particularly from Sunday into Monday, while severe thunderstorms with heavy rainfall and large amounts of small hail are possible over the western interior on Sunday into Monday.”

SAWS said there is also an indication of heavy rainfall over parts of the Overberg and southwest coast of the Western Cape on Monday into Tuesday, as the cut-off low exits along the southern coast of the Western Cape.

“The Cape southwest coast may also experience a strong to gale-force southeasterly wind, which could affect coastal marine routines and operations. Cool to cold maximum temperatures are also expected across parts of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KZN from Saturday, which will spread to the remainder of the country on Sunday into Monday. Daytime temperatures are expected to be in the high teens and low twenties across most parts and will even go down to the low teens over the high-lying areas of the Eastern Cape and KZN.”

Uncertainty among numeric weather prediction models persist regarding the intensity and future movement of the system. “This uncertainty could lead to changes in rainfall amounts and distribution, and SAWS will therefore provide regular updates to the public and disaster management on expected weather conditions and potential impact-based warnings. It is strongly advised that the public take necessary precautions during this weekend and early next week. This includes avoiding crossing flooded roads, bridges and swollen streams. SAWS will continue to monitor any further developments relating to this weather system and will issue subsequent updates as required. Furthermore, the public is urged and encouraged to regularly follow weather forecasts on TV and radio.”