Durban - As a cold front rolled into the province this week many locals took to social media to either lament the weather or share pictures of the winter wonderland.
The SA Weather Services said an “intense cold front” would sweep through the country with snowy conditions expected in KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend.
On Saturday they confirmed that light snow had fallen at Sani Pass in the Drakensberg.
But SAWS did issue a yellow level 4 warning for disruptive snowfall for parts of the province on Saturday.
“It will be cloudy, cold to very cold and rainy over many parts of the province. Widespread snowfall expected on the high-lying areas with disruptive snow in the south-west.”
The weather was expected to improve by Monday.
Social media became abuzz as snow lovers took to Twitter and Facebook.
In parts of Hilton, Pietermaritzburg and Hillcrest residents had some snow which many people said looked like light hail.
Even though the snowfall was not as strong as expected it was still enjoyed nonetheless by both children and adults.
Residents in the Mooi River and Dargle area also reported snowfall.
#underberg #KZN #snow pic.twitter.com/vCvbpel2Mt
— Miss T (@tanya_piper) August 28, 2021
Impendle and Bulwer towards Underberg also had light snow that excited residents revelled in as it covered their gardens.
Snow days in Bulwer, KZN 🥰☃️#bulwerKZN #KZNhasitall #Drakensberg #rebuildkzn #travelchatsa #KwaZuluNatal #sharesouthafrica #becausesouthafrica pic.twitter.com/dAW6iZfj9e
— Monique van der KZN 🇿🇦 (@Monique_PR_) August 28, 2021
Dalton in the Midlands also had its fair share of light snowfall.
Snow coming down in Dalton, KZN misdlands @FordSouthAfrica @SnowReportSA pic.twitter.com/TkIA25tlJY
— Gabriel Sithole🇿🇦 (@GabrielSithole) August 28, 2021
Sipho Hlomuka, KZN MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, said weather warnings were issued for parts of the province, including an increased risk of snowfall in the Harry Gwala, uMgungundlovu, and uThukela districts.
Hlomuka urged that residents remain extremely cautious by monitoring weather conditions before travelling.
“We plead that communities ensure they take the necessary precautions as current weather conditions pose a risk to human life. Our disaster management teams will monitor major routes and areas in KZN that are prone to incidents,” he said.
Hlomuka additionally requested that citizen living in parts of the province that might be affected to remain indoors and keep warm.
“In our efforts to keep warm, we once again urge caution, especially those who use generators and braziers. For those who might be travelling, it is important they stay up to date with weather conditions on their routes. We also appeal to farmers and pet owners to ensure their animals have adequate shelter,” said Hlomuka.
Sunday Tribune