A powerful cold front is set to grip South Africa this week, bringing snow to several high-lying areas while Pretoria braces for a freezing conditions and dry spell.

Temperatures in the capital are expected to stay below 20°C, with even colder conditions and strong southerly winds forecast from Friday as the front moves across the country.

According to VoxWeather forecaster Michelle du Plessis an upper-air through will bring showers and thunderstorms to southern Namibia and the western parts of the Northern Cape and Western Cape on Monday and Tuesday.

“Wednesday evening, a cold front is expected to make landfall in the south-western Cape, bringing scattered showers to the western parts of the Western Cape, with rainfall totals of up to 50mm possible over the mountains by Friday evening.”

She furthermore added that light rain is also expected to spread into parts of the Eastern Cape on Thursday and Friday.

Freezing levels will drop significantly from Thursday, with light snowfall possible over:
* The mountains in the western parts of the Western Cape, including Cederberg and Matroosberg
* Areas around Sutherland, and the Nuweveld and Roggeveld mountains in the Northern Cape, spreading to the Sneeuberg in the Eastern Cape
* The Swartberg mountains, Outeniqua mountains and Tsitsikamma mountain around the Little Karoo and Garden Route.

Du Plessis said freezing levels drop further, allowing for snow over the northern high-lying areas of the Eastern Cape and southern Drakensberg and Lesotho.

“This week remains cool to cold in Gauteng, with temperatures staying below 20°C. No rain is expected in the northern parts of the country.

“By Friday, it will be even colder in Gauteng, especially in the south, due to a cold front expected to reach the country on Wednesday. A chilly southerly wind will blow at times on Friday.”

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