Durban - The province can expect a cold to cool weekend, according to the SA Weather Service.
Forecaster Stacy Colboren, based at King Shaka International Airport, said rain was expected only tomorrow, but it would be confined to the coastline from Richards Bay northwards.
Meanwhile, clear weather has confined snow to the mountain tops after it fell on Tuesday and Wednesday. The clearer weather is also bringing hopes of ocean water clearing up to give clarity to the movement of sardines.
“The cold front upset the apple cart and discoloured the water,” said Greg Thompson, acting head of the department of operations of the Sharks Board.
“When conditions settle, we may find stuff popping up.”
He said that on Thursday there had been some sardine activity in Umgababa and Winkelspruit.
“They came through quite quickly with the cold front.”
He said the waters off the Eastern Cape across the provincial border were dirty after a lot of rain.
“But the swell is still up and it has been very difficult to spot the (accompanying ) predators.”
Inland, snow still sat high on the peaks of the Drakensberg yesterday, having been pushed back by warm weather and rain, according to locals in at southern parts of the range.
Kingscote Pass, between Underberg and Swartberg on the R617, re-opened to traffic late on Thursday evening.
“There is still snow up on the peaks,” said Trisha Inderjeet from the Gooderson Drakensberg Golf and Spa Resort booking office.
“Snow fell earlier in the week but it’s now clearing up.”
Swartberg farmer John Firth said the cold front had brought ”a very polite snow” with few problems other than a couple of vehicles getting stuck.
Another farmer from nearby, Murray Cathcart described a farmers’ view of snow: “It’s beautiful for five seconds and then we have to deal with the fallout. It makes a mess of everything!”
He said he had suffered stock losses due to the wet and cold and had to provide extra feeding as well as get what stock they could under cover.
Cathcart farms sheep and cattle.
He said his maize fields “took a knock” from the snow and accompanying winds.
“But we are grateful for the moisture it brought.”
The week saw motorists stuck overnight at Ashburton after a truck accident blocked the N3.
Automobile Association spokesman Layton Beard advised motorists that it would be wise to carry blankets and water – including hot water – in case they find themselves stranded on roads in winter.
“It is tempting to keep the motor running to keep warm, which uses up petrol,” he said.
The Independent on Saturday