Cape Town – The Mother City is basking in sunshine on Friday after a couple of cold fronts brought heavy rain and icy conditions to the Western Cape this week – but a severe cold front and icy temperatures await from Monday.
With the average capacity of Cape Town's dams being more than 70% full (from 64.1% on Monday) after last night's downpour, there is much to rejoice after the dreaded days of Day Zero. For the first time in years, the Western Cape's dams are even fuller than those of Gauteng.
There was also much elation at the Matroosberg Private Nature Reserve, 35km outside Ceres, for example, at the sight and sensation of thick snow.
On Saturday, cool, sunny weather is expected over much of the Western Cape, with a maximum temperature of 23 degrees Celsius and 19°C in Cape Town. Mist can be expected in the morning in Cape Town, Paarl, Malmesbury, Grabouw and Cape Agulhas.
On Sunday, sunnier weather is expected over the Western Cape, with maximum temperatures under 25°C and a north-westerly wind of up to 20km/h.
While the weekend's weather offers some respite for those whose homes were swamped by rain and the difficulty experienced with flooded roads and power outages across the Cape metropole, the SA Weather Service has warned that another severe cold front is set to hit on Monday, bringing a further drop in temperatures.
– Gale-force north-westerly winds of 65 to 80km/h are expected between Table Bay and Cape Agulhas late on Monday morning, subsiding overnight into Tuesday.
– Strong to gale-force interior north-westerly winds of 62 to 70km/h are expected over the Western and Northern Cape, subsiding overnight into Tuesday.
– Heavy rain leading to localised flooding is expected over the Cape Metropole, Cape Winelands and Overberg District of the Western Cape.
– High seas with waves between 6 and 7m are expected between Table Bay and Cape Agulhas overnight on Monday into Tuesday morning.
Wednesday evening is expected to be a shivering 7 degrees Celsius, with the mercury dropping to 9°C on Tuesday and Thursday evening.
The temperatures in Cape Town for the next seven days, according to Weather.com: Friday – sunny 18°C to 11°C; Saturday – sunny 19°C to 10°C; Sunday – sunny, with cloudy weather 18°C to 12°C; Monday – rain 17°C to 12°C; Tuesday – rain 14°C to 9°C; Wednesday – cloudy 13°C to 7°C; Thursday – sunny 17°C to 9°C; and Friday – cloudy 17°C to 10°C.