Intense cold front on its way

140703. Cape Town. People are seen running across Adderly street covering themselves with umbrella's. Cape TOwn is expected to be hit by two cold fronts and weather experts even predicted snow fall for table mountain on Friday. Picture Henk Kruger/Cape Argus

140703. Cape Town. People are seen running across Adderly street covering themselves with umbrella's. Cape TOwn is expected to be hit by two cold fronts and weather experts even predicted snow fall for table mountain on Friday. Picture Henk Kruger/Cape Argus

Published Jul 4, 2014

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Johannesburg - South Africans should prepare themselves for an approaching intense cold front, the SA Weather Service said on Friday.

“The cold front is making landfall in the Western Cape (on Friday) afternoon and is expected to bring heavy rainfall, which could lead to localised flooding,” forecaster Vanetia Phakula said.

Parts of the Cape Metropole, Overberg, and the Cape Winelands could experience localised flooding from rain expected until Saturday.

There was also a possibility of snow overnight into Saturday morning over high-lying areas of the Western Cape, extending into mountainous southern regions of the Northern Cape.

“This will extend to the Eastern Cape by late afternoon on Saturday, with a possibility of snowfall in high-lying areas,” Phakula said.

Chapman's Peak Drive, in Cape Town, had to be temporarily closed because of strong winds on Friday, the Western Cape transport department said.

“Wind speeds of close to 110km/h have been recorded,” spokesman Al-Ameen Kafaar said in a statement.

Those travelling between Hout Bay and the Atlantic Seaboard were advised to seek alternate routes.

Strong winds frequently herald cold fronts.

Phakula said cold temperatures over the Western, Eastern, and Southern Cape on Saturday would spread into the central parts of the country, hitting KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday and reaching Gauteng by Tuesday.

The forecast for the Durban July Handicap was warm, with an expected high of 29 degrees Celsius, with a chance of isolated evening showers.

The Eastern Cape and Western Cape would start to warm up on Monday and by Wednesday the cold front should have left the country.

This weather pattern was typical for this time of the year, she said. - Sapa

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