Weekend weather rollercoaster: Rain, flooding, snow, wind, waves and fire

Brace yourselves, South Africa, as Mother Nature whips up a cocktail of severe weather conditions on Saturday.

It’s going to be rough out there… The SA Weather Service (Saws) issued eight impact based warnings, ranging from rough winds and waves to disruptive rain and snow.

Weekend weather update

Saws warns of an “intense cut-off low pressure system expected to drop the day time temperatures significantly from tomorrow into Sunday”.

Maximum temperatures in the Namakwa region of Northern Cape and the interior of the Western Cape may plunge below 10 degrees Celsius in these areas.

The weather service said general windy conditions will accompany the cold and wet conditions. Below is a recap of the impact-based weather warnings.

Rain and flooding

In the City of Cape Town, Cape Winelands, Oudtshoorn and Kannaland municipalities of the Western Cape, a yellow level 4 warning issued for disruptive rains leading to potential flooding.

An orange level 6 warning for disruptive rain has been issued for Overberg, the southern parts of the Garden Route District, and Langeberg Municipality in the Western Cape.

Expect flooding until Sunday in these areas.

Disruptive snow

In the Cape Winelands, Central and Little Karoo in the Western Cape, and southern high-ground of Namakwa in the Northern Cape, Saws issued a yellow level 4 warning for disruptive snow.

This could lead to temporary inaccessibility of some communities and potential loss of livestock or crops until Sunday.

High-grounds of the Eastern Cape have been flagged with a yellow level 2 warning, warning residents of disruptive snowfall, possible closure of passes and hazardous driving conditions.

The same warning extends to areas including the southern Namakwa, Central Karoo, Garden Route districts, Overstrand, and Cape Agulhas municipalities.

In these regions, damaging winds could pose problems for high-sided vehicles and cause localised damage to settlements.

Wind and waves

Alexander Bay and Cape Point is on yellow alert level 4 due to predicted strong winds and choppy waves expected to disrupt beachfront activities and pose navigation challenges at sea.

Meanwhile, Cape Point to Plettenberg Bay has been hit with an orange level 5 warning, with residents warned of intense winds and waves.

Adding to the list, the western parts of Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal also face a yellow level 1 warning for damaging winds resulting in similar difficulties.

Come Sunday, Plettenberg Bay to Port Edward will be under a yellow level 2 warning due to damaging waves which could result in navigation difficulties,

This alert also includes beach erosion and potential rogue waves which is predicted to persist until Tuesday.

Fire alerts

Extremely high fire danger conditions are anticipated across large parts of South Africa as well.

Saws issued fire alert advisories for the following areas:

• the eastern parts of the North West
• the northern parts of the Free State
• Gauteng
• southwestern bushveld of Limpopo
• the western Highveld of Mpumalanga

Provincial weather forecasts

Regionally, Gauteng can expect partly cloudy and warm weather, with Mpumalanga and Limpopo experiencing cool and warm conditions, respectively.

Free State residents can expect fine conditions in the east at first, otherwise partly cloudy and windy to cool, with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the south expect in the east.

The North West Province will be fine, windy and cool to warm, becoming partly cloudy, with isolated showers and thundershower in the south.

In contrast, Northern Cape will face windy, cold, and cloudy weather with isolated showers and scattered snow over the southern high-ground.

Western Cape is set for scattered showers and thundershowers, with snowfall expected over the northern high-ground.

Eastern Cape will see cool conditions along the coast and scattered showers, with snowfalls over the northern high-grounds.

Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal can anticipate warm weather, turning partly cloudy with isolated showers in the south.