Watch: Snow hits parts of SA as cold front sweeps south
April snow has hit South Africa, creating hazardous travel conditions, while other regions brace for disruptive rainfall and potential flooding.
It’s time to hit the Dean Martin lyrics Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! as parts of the country have been covered in a white blanket.
After reports of snowfall in Lesotho, snow has now also been noted on the highest mountain range in southern Africa: The Drakensberg Mountains.
Several traffic groups have warned motorists to avoid using the Kotisephola Pass (affectionately known as the Black Mountain Pass) that connects KZN with the Lesotho town of Mokhotlong. This is due to the pass being covered in snow.
Drakensberg areas snowing, drive catefully pic.twitter.com/E166hKOA3a
— 🔞 SA911 (@Zulu72944051488) April 16, 2025
A post on the Facebook group Reënval in SA says snowfall was also noted in Tiffindell in the Eastern Cape town of Barkly East.
Pretoria Rekord reports that Vox Weather forecaster Michelle du Plessis previously said a strong upper-air trough could potentially cut off and develop into a cut-off low.
Du Plessis added that it will then be cold around Lesotho and surrounding areas in the Eastern Cape, KZN and Free State. The mercury dropped low enough for snow late last night and today in Lesotho.
“Freezing levels are expected to drop significantly, with more than 5cm of snow overnight into Wednesday morning over the mountains in the eastern half of Lesotho – particularly around Afriski and Sani Pass. By Friday, it will be cool (temperatures below 20°C) and cloudy in Pretoria, with a few light rain showers.”
Disruptive rainfall
While areas surrounding Lesotho are experiencing snow and freezing temperatures, other parts of South Africa are being battered by heavy rainfall.
The South African Weather Service issued three disruptive rainfall warnings in its travellers’ forecast for today:
- An orange level 5 warning for settlements and roads over the south-eastern parts of KZN,
- a yellow level 4 warning for most parts of KZN except in the north-east,
- and a yellow level 2 warning along the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape.
It warned that the disruptive rainfall may result in damage to infrastructure and flooding of susceptible areas, roads and bridges.
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