Cape Town – A wet week is predicted for the Western Cape, with intermittent rain expected to persist until Thursday.
This is further good news for Cape Town's dam levels, which is nearing 80%. So expect 12 degrees Celsius in Cape Town on Monday night and a high of 15°C during the day, with a strong north-westerly the next few days, according to the weather bureau.
More showers are predicted in the late afternoon and again from the late evening into the early hours of Tuesday morning, AccuWeather said.
On Tuesday, slightly warmer weather is expected, with a high of 17°C and a low of 10°C, and a north-westerly of 40km/h. There is a 30% chance of rain in the Western Cape on Tuesday.
Rain is expected over the majority of the Western Cape on Wednesday, with a north-westerly of 20km/h. There is a 30% chance of rain in Cape Town, with a high of 16°C and a low of 9°C
The weather is expected to perk up from Thursday, but there is still a 30% chance of rain in the Western Cape. After abating for two days, rainy weather is expected in Cape Town again on Sunday.
Continued good rainfall in the Western Cape has seen dam levels across the province reach their highest levels in four years, with a few exceptions.
“Some major dams are already 100% full while others like Clanwilliam Dam on the West Coast, have reported a second weekly increase of above 20% for the past week,” says Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Anton Bredell.
The total average level for dams across the province is 61.2% – the best level it’s been in four years. On 3 August, 2015, the level was 79%. On 2 August, 2016, the average dam level for the province was 54%.
“Two years ago on 7 August, 2017, the average dam level for the province was 28%. The Theewaterskloof dam at that stage was only 22% full. Currently that dam is more than three times that level at 66.5%,” Bredell says.
The City of Cape Town currently sees its dam levels nearing 80% while the greatest ongoing concern for the province remains the rural Karoo region of the Western Cape where the situation – especially in the agriculture area – remains serious.
Bredell says despite the good rainfall and increased dam levels, citizens across the province are urged to continue using water sparingly.
“The resource will always be under pressure and we need to continue with the good practices we have seen.”
Bredell says when it comes to water restrictions and the possibility of easing restrictions, the levels of restrictions are determined at municipal level, often first following consultations with the National Department of Water and Sanitation.
“For example, when it comes to the City of Cape Town, these discussions are generally held at the end of the winter rainfall period, where the national department informs the different sectors how much bulk water they can consume in the coming year.
"Once the department has made these numbers known, municipalities translate this into specific water restrictions. The Western Cape’s new hydrological year begins on 1 November.”
Major dams5/8/2019Previous week% 2018Berg River100.5100.586.6Steenbras Lower88.770.057.4Steenbras Upper101.9101.492.8Theewaterskloof67.062.142.3Voëlvlei78.674.159.3Wemmershoek78.971.083.1Total Stored Ml689 767647 900510 466% Storage76.872.156.8