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Brrrr! Coldest night of 2023 with temperatures to drop below zero
Gauteng will hit the first sub-freezing temperatures for Johannesburg, central Pretoria and Vereeniging due to a strong cold front.
Gauteng Weather warned that another cold front was expected to hit Gauteng, with temperatures expected to drop below freezing. Photo: iStock
Regional weather forecaster Gauteng Weather urged residents to keep extra warm with Sunday evening’s forecast to be the coldest evening of 2023 so far.
Last week, Gauteng Weather warned that another cold front was expected to hit the province, with temperatures expected to drop below freezing in the three major metros.
According to the latest forecast, residents must take extra precautions against the freezing temperatures.
Freezing temperatures
“Coldest night so far in 2023 expected in Gauteng overnight with first sub-freezing temperatures for central Pretoria and Johannesburg, due to strong cold front,” Gauteng Weather tweeted.
The latest temperature forecast show that mercury in Johannesburg is expected to drop well below zero tonight – to -3°C.
The temperature in Pretoria is expected to drop to -1°C with Vereeniging in the Vaal the coldest of the metros with -6°C.
Gauteng Weather also warned of a very cold start to the week.
Temperatures in Johannesburg are expected to drop to a minimum of -3°C on Monday with a maximum of 16°C on Thursday.
The mercury in Pretoria will drop to -1°C on Monday with a maximum of 18°C on Thursday.
Both Johannesburg and Pretoria will also experience very windy conditions.
Emergency services
The cold front is likely to force residents to use all available heating apparatus to keep warm during the freezing temperatures with Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS) assuring people that officials will be on high alert for any eventuality.
Joburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said the city‘s residents must ensure that all heating devices are well looked after and not left unattended in order to prevent fire incidents during this cold front.
“From our side as the emergency management services, we remain on high alert monitoring all seven regions of the city to make sure that we are able to respond to all emergencies that might occur throughout the city,” said Mulaudzi.
Power outages
Meanwhile, Johannesburg’s City Power said it was taking necessary precautionary measures to deal with high volumes of power outages across the city.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said cold temperatures would lead to higher electricity demand, which puts pressure on its network.
“City Power is taking all precautionary measures, including beefing up resources in our SDCs, to mitigate against outages that may be triggered by adverse weather. Our teams are on high alert and we will increase resources in high-pressure areas to minimise the disruption of power supply to our residential customers,” Mangena said.
ALSO READ: City Power warns of electricity outages as cold front hits Gauteng
Load shedding
The freezing conditions are likely to also put pressure on the electricity grid.
However, Eskom has maintained load shedding at a minimum with steady stage 3 and, at times, suspending the deliberate power cuts altogether.
Be that as it may, Eskom said it will publish another update should any significant changes occur.
Provincial forecasts
Gauteng
Expect a mix of sun and clouds in Gauteng, with the mercury dipping to low levels. Despite the chilly conditions, the UVB sunburn index remains high.
So, ensure you’re well protected if you’re out and about in the sun.
Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga residents will need to keep an umbrella handy as the province will be largely cloudy and experience cold to extremely cold weather.
Showers are expected across the region, with the exception of the extreme west where partially cloudy skies will prevail. Residents along the escarpment and the far eastern Highveld should brace for light snow.
Limpopo
The weather in Limpopo will be a mixed bag with fine conditions in the southwest, while the rest of the province will see partly cloudy and cold weather with scattered showers.
The eastern regions will experience increased cloud cover later on.
North-West Province
Residents of the North-West Province can expect clear skies and cold temperatures. Remember to bundle up!
Free State
It will be clear and very cold to cold in Free State. However, the weather might take a turn with clouds rolling in and isolated showers.
There’s also a possibility of light snow in the extreme eastern parts.
Northern Cape
The Northern Cape will experience morning frost across the interior, with fine and cold to cool weather during the day.
The southern parts will be especially cold. Along the coast, anticipate moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly winds.
Western Cape
The Western Cape will start off cloudy over the central and eastern parts, transitioning to partly cloudy conditions. The rest of the province will experience fine and cold weather, with morning frost expected.
The coastal areas will see moderate south-westerly winds on the south coast and moderate to fresh south-easterly winds elsewhere. The UVB sunburn index will be low.
Eastern Cape (Western Half)
The western half of the Eastern Cape is due for a cold day with isolated rain showers, with the temperatures dipping further along the south coast.
By afternoon, the weather will clear up a bit, becoming partly cloudy. High ground areas can expect morning snow. Coastal regions will have light to moderate southerly to south-westerly winds.
Eastern Cape (Eastern Half)
The eastern half of the Eastern Cape will have a cloudy and cold to extremely cold day with isolated rain showers but scattered showers along the coast.
Expect disruptive snow on the high ground. Moderate to fresh south-westerly winds will blow along the coast.
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal will see a cloudy and cold day, turning very cold in the Midlands and western parts where snow is anticipated.
Isolated showers and rain are predicted, with scattered rainfall along the coast and adjacent interior. Coastal winds will be strong to near gale force south-westerly. The UVB sunburn index is forecasted to be moderate.
ALSO READ: Another cold front to hit Gauteng with the possibility of snow
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