KZN residents should brace for plummeting temperatures and the possibility of snow over the southern Drakensberg this weekend, as a powerful winter weather system sweeps across the country.

The Witness reports that Lehlohonolo Thobela, a forecaster from the South African Weather Service (SAWS), says snowfall is expected from today over the high peaks of the Drakensberg mountains, Lesotho and the Eastern Cape.

“By Friday, very cold conditions will spread further inland, and snowfall is possible over the high peaks of the Eastern Cape and southern Drakensberg,” says Thobela.

While temperatures in the Midlands and the foothills of the Drakensberg are expected to drop significantly, SAWS forecasts show that the cold will ease slightly from Monday as a warming trend sets in.

Meanwhile, light to moderate rain is also on the cards for parts of KZN today, with a 30% chance of isolated showers expected across the southern parts of the province and into the Free State.

Rest of the country in for a soaking

Elsewhere in the country, a series of cold fronts were expected to move in between yesterday and Sunday, bringing disruptive weather, particularly to the Western and Northern Cape.

SAWS has issued a yellow level 4 warning for disruptive rainfall in the Western Cape, warning of widespread showers, possible flooding and dangerous conditions on roads.

Winds of up to 80km/h are forecast for the south-western coastal belt, including Saldanha Bay and Cape Agulhas.

Another cold front is expected to make landfall on Sunday in the Western Cape, bringing further rainfall and high seas, with waves between 4.5m and 5.5m predicted between Cape Agulhas and Plettenberg Bay.

Small stock farmers have been urged to take precautions as harsh conditions, including very cold, wet and windy weather, settle over much of the interior.

SAWS has called on the public to monitor weather alerts and take necessary steps to remain safe amid the countrywide cold snap.

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