Forecast

MEDIA RELEASE: Cold weather expected for parts of South Africa, 2 to 4 October 2018 This media release serves to…

By , in SA Weather Service , at 1st October 2018

MEDIA RELEASE: Cold weather expected for parts of South Africa, 2 to 4 October 2018

This media release serves to alert the public at large regarding the possibility of some extreme weather conditions expected to affect the southern, central and eastern portions of the country from Tuesday 2 October onwards. This extreme, wintery weather will include snowfalls mainly over the southern and central parts of the Drakensberg (and could become disruptive in places), accompanied by cold conditions over many parts of South Africa.

Provinces most likely to be adversely affected are the southern parts of the Western and Eastern Cape on Tuesday, before the conditions spread north and east (to the Free State, North-West, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga) on Wednesday and Thursday. In addition, there could also be a risk of localised heavy rain and / or incidents of flash flooding for parts of KwaZulu-Natal during Wednesday and Thursday.

The weather system responsible for this episode of extreme weather is a cold front accompanied by an upper air trough (extension of a low pressure) which will be moving across the southern half of the country. See figures 1 and 2 for predicted maximum temperatures and snow depth for 3 and 4 October 2018.

The weather system concerned will begin exiting the country on Friday, 5 October 2018, when predominantly clear skies and warmer conditions will return to the country, although further thundershowers may still occur over the north-eastern extremity of the country in the afternoons and early evening.

The public and small stock farmers are advised to take necessary precautions ahead of the arrival of these conditions.

The South African Weather Service will continue to monitor any further developments relating to this weather system and will issue subsequent updates as required. Furthermore, the public are urged to regularly follow weather forecasts on television and radio and other platforms.

Updated information in this regard will regularly be available at www.weathersa.co.za as well as via the SA Weather Service Twitter account @SAWeatherServic