Chilly and wet weekend ahead

The SA Weather Service has urged Joburgers to exercise caution as heavy downpours which could cause possible flooding are expected. File picture: Supplied

The SA Weather Service has urged Joburgers to exercise caution as heavy downpours which could cause possible flooding are expected. File picture: Supplied

Published Sep 16, 2016

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If you have packed away your winter gear, you may have jumped the gun, as cool and wet weather is expected in most provinces this weekend.

The South African Weather Service forecast that a “significant drop in temperatures” was expected to arrive in Gauteng on Friday and was likely to persist until Monday.

“The significant drop in temperature is caused by a combination of an upper air trough and a high surface pressure moving into the eastern parts of the country which will affect Gauteng,” forecaster Victoria Nurse said.

She said that there was a 60 percent chance of showers and thundershowers in Joburg on Saturday and on Sunday, which could bring hailstorms with them.

“We can’t tell for sure if it will hail this weekend, but it is a possibility if there are thunderstorms,” said Nurse.

The wet weather conditions are expected to bring the cold with it.

Nurse said the minimum temperature in Joburg on Saturday was expected to be 12°C and that it would peak at about 17°C.

Similar conditions were expected on Sunday as temperatures were expected to peak at only 15°C.

Nurse said although South Africa was currently in the spring season, the cold and wet weather was not uncommon.

“We are still in the change-over season from winter to spring, so this weather is not unusual,” she said.

The SA Weather Service added that although there would be rainfall this weekend in Gauteng, it would not be enough to alleviate the drought.

Meanwhile, several other parts of the country were also expected to experience cold and wet conditions, with weather warnings being issued.

Nurse said these included six weather watches, two special weather advices and one warning, which would mostly affect the Western Cape as well as parts of the Eastern Cape and the Northern Cape.

An intense cold front will affect the Western and Northern Cape until Saturday morning, The public and stock farmers were advised that very rough seas, strong winds, very cold condtions and light snowfalls are expecteed in places over the high-lying areas. Localised urban flooding was expected over mounatinous areas of the Cape Metropole, Winelands and Overberg districts on Friday.

Capetonians can expect a high 15ºC on Saturday and 18ºC on Sunday.

People in KwaZulu-Natal should also brace themselves for cold weather this weekend. The South African Weather Service predicted temperatures would drop as low as 15ºC during the weekend.

Forecaster, Julius Mahlangu, said as from Friday people across the province should expect an 80% chance of showers and thundershowers.

The only exception would be the north-eastern parts of the province, which would have a 60% chance of rain. The south-western parts of the province, which include Underberg, Matatiele and Kokstad, would have light to moderate snow.

Mahlangu said there would also be a south-westerly wind along the KwaZulu-Natal coast that would reach speeds of between 15 and 20 knots (27-37km/h). Inland would also be windy.

Durban will experience low temperatures during the weekend with 17ºC on Saturday and 15ºC on Sunday.

The Star and Daily News

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