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Snow expected to hit parts of South Africa on Sunday
South Africa Weather Service said snow could be experienced in the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape on Sunday and Monday.
A heart was drawn in the snow in Alberton, Johannesburg, on 10 July 2023. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
Although the weather has started warming up as South Africa enters spring, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned that snow is expected to hit parts of the country on Sunday.
The weather service said that cold, windy and wet conditions are expected in parts of the Western Cape and Northern Cape on Sunday. These conditions will spread to parts of the Eastern Cape on Monday.
“On Sunday (10 September), the first front will move east while a second front moves over the western parts of the country from late afternoon,” it said on Friday.
“As a result widespread showers and rain can be expected over the south-western Cape spreading eastwards with windy weather across western and southern SA.”
Snow expected on Sunday
SAWS said it is expecting snow to fall over the Western Cape mountains on Sunday night and continue on Monday.
ALSO READ: Icy, windy and wet conditions expected in parts of Western Cape
SnowReport also said low-level snowfall is expected in parts of the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape.
It said the following areas in the Western Cape could be among the areas hit by snow:
- Franschhoek,
- Wellington,
- the Cederberg and Koue Bokkeveld,
- Tulbagh,
- Ceres,
- De Dooms,
- Worcester,
- Robertson,
- Montagu and Swellendam,
- Oudtshoorn,
- and Beaufort West.
ALSO READ: PICTURES: Rare snow turns Joburg into winter wonderland
Rest of SA will be warm
Despite the bitterly cold conditions and possible snow in the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape, the rest of South Africa will be dry and warm over the weekend.
SAWS warned that there is a high danger that these hot conditions could lead to fires.
2023 colder than usual
The snow comes as the western and southern parts of South Africa experienced a colder winter than usual.
SAWS said it observed lower maximum temperatures for those areas of the country during June and July. It added that parts of the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape were 2°C colder than average during that period.
ALSO READ: Snow in Gauteng: Monday possibly coldest day in 12 years
Other parts of South Africa, however, experienced warmer conditions in winter than normal. In June, Limpopo was 3-4°C warmer than average.
“June’s maximums were warmer than average over the central, eastern and northeastern parts of South Africa while July was slightly colder to near normal over parts of Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.”
