Gauteng residents can expect a bitterly cold day tomorrow, with forecasters suggesting a small chance of snow or sleet as a strong cold front sweeps across South Africa.

The wintry conditions are part of a broader weather system that will bring rain, thunderstorms, and heavy snow to parts of the country over the next few days.

According to Michelle du Plessis, a forecaster at VoxWeather, a powerful cut-off low supported by another intense cold front is driving widespread showers and icy conditions nationwide.

While weather models do show a slim chance of light snow or a rain-snow mix in Gauteng early Friday morning, she explained that the likelihood of snow settling at ground level is very low because freezing levels are expected to remain above the province’s highest elevations.

“Any snow that falls will likely melt before reaching the ground, and it’s more probable that we see soft hail or graupel instead of true snow,” Du Plessis said, adding that global models often misclassify such marginal conditions.

Elsewhere, the Western Cape can expect up to 80 mm of rain, with more heavy snow forecast for the Eastern Cape mountains, Lesotho, the southern Drakensberg, and the Karoo by Friday. The SA Weather Service has issued a Level 4 warning for disruptive rainfall and possible flooding in parts of the Western Cape as the following fronts push through.

Gauteng temperatures are expected to remain below 20 °C through the week, with showers possible on Friday, a slight recovery on Sunday, and another cold snap early next week.

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