Cape Town - City of Cape Town disaster risk management teams have been put on high alert as heavy rains have been forecast for the next couple of days.
But many farmers in the Overberg are delighted.
A frontal system was expected to be moving over the Cape on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing heavy rains and strong winds. Areas of concern would be closely monitored by disaster risk management teams, the city said.
Disaster risk management spokesman Wilfred Solomons-Johannes said low-lying areas on the Cape Flats had been identified as vulnerable and routine inspections would be undertaken. Residents would be helped to wet-weatherproof their homes.
Maximum temperatures are expected to stay in the mid-teens, with a 76 percent chance of rain on Tuesday. There will be a 30 percent chance of rain for the rest of the week, and 60 percent on Saturday.
Cape Town weather office forecaster Stella Nake said alerts for flooding and high seas had been issued.
“Localised urban flooding is likely in places over the Cape Metropole, Overberg and the south-western parts of the Cape Winelands due to heavy rains expected.”
High seas with wave heights from six to nine metres were expected to develop south of Table Bay, she said.
Agri Wes-Cape chief executive Carl Opperman said the spring-like weather last week deprived farmers of much-needed rain. This week’s rainfall would compensate for the dry spell last week.
“We are now moving into spring and the time for rain is getting less and less. We don’t need hot weather yet but at least the cold weather we are expected to have is rectifying it.”
Opperman said some farms could be overwhelmed by the heavy rains, but most would benefit from it.
“Some farms could go under water and if it doesn’t dry fast enough it could damage the crops. The overall benefit, however, will be better than the damage that will be caused.”
He added that last year, the rainy season started much earlier. A comparison between the two years could only be made in September when the crop yield could be given.
“In Swellendam, some livestock died after being sheared because of the cold weather.
“If we can get one more spell of rain and cooler weather after this one, the crops will be sorted and we will see great deciduous fruit and table grapes being harvested from October,” Opperman said.
Cape Argus