People in the affected areas are advised to take necessary precautions to stay safe. Photo: iStock
South Africa is set to experience severe weather conditions – including heavy rainfall, gale-force winds, rough seas and an incoming cold front – on Monday, 20 February.
The SA Weather Service (Saws) issued multiple Yellow Level 1 and 2 warnings, indicating that strong winds, waves, and heavy rainfall can be expected this week.
Residents in the following provinces are advised to take necessary precautions to stay safe and keep themselves and their property protected from adverse weather conditions.
The Eastern Cape is set to experience strong north-westerly winds, which are expected to reach speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour, with gusts of up to 85 kilometres per hour.
Affected areas include the Chris Hani District Municipality, Joe Gqabi District Municipality, and places over Dr Beyers Naude local municipality.
Residents should prepare for localised damage to settlements and infrastructure, as well as disruptions along transport routes. Localised power and communication interruptions are also possible.
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The Eastern and Western Cape will be affected by gale-force winds and offshore swell, with waves expected to reach up to 6 meters.
Small vessels are at risk of taking on water and capsizing in a locality, and navigation will be difficult due to the strong winds and rough seas.
Localised disruption of small harbours and ports is also possible for short periods of time.
The Western and Northern Cape will experience strong to near gale-force north-westerly winds of up to 50 kilometres per hour over the southern high ground of the Namakwa in the Northern Cape, and over the northern interior of the Western Cape.
The wind speed maximum is expected during the afternoon, with possible sustained wind speeds of 60 kilometres per hour.
Saws warn that this could lead to difficult driving conditions on exposed high-level roads and bridges, causing localised problems for high-sided vehicles, especially on the N1 between Worcester and Beaufort-West.
Localised damage to settlements and power and communication interruptions are also possible.
In addition to the wind warnings, a yellow level 2 warning for rain has been issued for the Western Cape.
A cold front is expected to make landfall over the western parts of the Western Cape on Monday morning.
Rainfall accumulation between 20 and 40 millimetres is expected over the City of Cape Town and the southern parts of the Northern Cape.
Localised disruption of traffic flow is also likely in the Western Cape, along with increased motor vehicle accidents, especially during peak hour traffic.
Localised mudslides and rockfalls may also occur in susceptible areas.
Heavy downpours may lead to localised flooding of roads and settlements (both formal and informal), and may cause localised and short-term disruption of essential services such as water and electricity.
Strong to near gale-force north-westerly winds are expected to occur between Saldanha Bay and Cape Agulhas, with gale-force speeds of up to 70 kilometres per hour between Gansbaai and Struisbaai.
The winds will become mainly south-westerly from late morning, spreading to Plettenberg Bay by the afternoon, while accompanied by wave heights of 4 to 5 metres.
The winds are expected to moderate, and the waves will subside by Tuesday morning.
Strong gale force winds reaching 95 kilometres per hour are expected between Betty’s Bay and Cape Agulhas on Monday morning, with wave heights reaching 6 meters.