Pretoria residents who shivered through last week’s bitter cold can expect a very different weather picture this week, with temperatures rising rapidly and the capital potentially flirting with the 30°C mark.

The warmer spell comes just days after a powerful winter system brought freezing conditions and widespread snow to parts of South Africa.

According to Vox Weather’s latest outlook for August 17 to 21, the northern parts of the country are expected to remain warmer than average for this time of year.

Vox Weather said a series of cold fronts will move past the country this week, but are expected to remain south of South Africa.

As a result, they are likely to bring little to no rain to most of the country, while keeping conditions cooler along the west and south coasts.

The southern interior and KwaZulu-Natal could experience more noticeable day-to-day temperature fluctuations as the cold fronts pass to the south.

For the northern interior, including Gauteng, the picture is very different.

According to Vox Weather, an upper-air high-pressure system situated over Namibia will promote warmer and more stable conditions across the northern interior.

The system is expected to help keep temperatures elevated through much of the week.

This fits with forecasts showing a significant warm-up for Pretoria.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) forecast fine and cool conditions across Gauteng on Monday, August 17, with Pretoria reaching a maximum of around 24°C after a chilly start to the day.

Temperatures are then expected to climb further as the week progresses.

Other forecast guidance indicates daytime temperatures moving into the upper 20s, with some forecasts putting Pretoria at around 28°C to 29°C on the warmest days.

This means the capital could come tantalisingly close to the 30°C mark – a dramatic turnaround from the bitter winter conditions experienced only days ago.

Rain is also unlikely to provide much relief from the increasingly warm and dry conditions.

Vox Weather said the cold fronts passing south of the country are expected to bring little to no rain to most areas, while the high-pressure system over the northern interior will favour stable weather.

Residents should, however, not mistake the warm afternoons for the end of winter.

Mornings and evenings can still be considerably cooler, creating a substantial difference between overnight minimums and afternoon maximums.

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