News24 | Snow, strong winds expected for already weather-battered Eastern Cape

6 days ago 4

A cold front is likely to bring strong wind and snowfall to the Eastern Cape.

A cold front is likely to bring strong wind and snowfall to the Eastern Cape.

Sithandiwe Velaphi/News24

  • A cold front is likely to bring strong winds and snowfall to the Eastern Cape.
  • The front has already resulted in cold and wet conditions in the Western Cape.
  • The icy conditions are expected to reach the Eastern Cape on Thursday.

A cold front, which has resulted in icy and wet conditions in the Western Cape, will likely bring strong winds and snowfall to the weather-battered Eastern Cape.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned that the cold front will pass through the Eastern Cape on Thursday.

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The SAWS warned that strong to gale-force winds are expected over the interior of the Eastern Cape on Wednesday and Thursday.

“As the cold front passes … the surface high pressure system will extend its ridge behind it, resulting in cold to very cold conditions in places across the province from Thursday to Friday,” the SAWS said.

Snowfall of between 1cm to 5cm can be expected over the northern high-lying areas on Thursday.

Very rough seas, with wave heights reaching six metres, and strong to gale-force winds can also be expected in places along the Eastern Cape coast on Thursday into Friday.

The SAWS has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning (high likelihood of minor impacts) for damaging winds in the Chris Hani, Joe Gqabi and Sarah Baartman district municipalities. The Raymond Mhlaba and Amahlathi local municipalities will also be affected.

A Yellow Level 2 warning for damaging wind and waves has been issued between Plettenberg Bay and East London.

In addition, a Yellow Level 1 warning for disruptive snow has been issued for the Senqu and Elundini local municipalities.

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The province is still recovering from severe weather and widespread flooding earlier this month, which left thousands displaced.

The Eastern Cape provincial government confirmed that at least 100 bodies have been recovered across various districts.

The SAWS warned that an intense cold front will bring icy conditions to the Western Cape and Northern Cape on Wednesday.

The system is expected to bring heavy rainfall with a risk of localised flooding over the western parts of the Western Cape on Wednesday and Thursday.

There will also be strong and gusty winds over the interior that may cause localised damage to structures and could uproot trees.

Gale-force winds and rough seas, with wave heights between 5.5 metres to 7.5 metres, can be expected along the coastlines of the Northern Cape and Western Cape.

The weather warnings in place are a Yellow Level 4 warning for damaging waves from Wednesday evening, a Yellow Level 2 warning for damaging winds on Wednesday, and a Yellow Level 2 warning for disruptive rainfall on Wednesday until Thursday morning.

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City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Sonica Lategan said the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre is monitoring the impact of the severe weather.

“Thus far, the Disaster Operations Centre has received reports of wind damage in New Culture on Mew Way in Khayelitsha, as well as an overflowing canal in Vygieskraal. Officials have been activated to conduct on-site assessments,” she said.

“The roads around the city are incredibly wet, and visibility is poor, so we urge motorists to please slow down and drive with their headlights on,” Lategan added.

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