The South African Weather Services (SAWS) has warned the public as well as small scale farmers that the icy cold and wet weather conditions, may pose a risk to vulnerable crops and animals.
South Africa has been experiencing sub-zero temperatures and snowfall across the country.
Meteorologist from the South African Weather Services, Lehlohonolo Thobela says although uncommon, snow does fall in South Africa.
“It’s not rare, it really does happen- but it’s uncommon for it to happen continuous like any other area in the northern hemisphere. We were expecting very cold- frigid conditions, especially over Gauteng, and the northern- eastern parts of the country. Most of the week is expected to be cold. Some farmers need to be taking caution about how they take care of their livestock. Mainly another thing would be, people should make sure that they’re in warm conditions,” explains Thobela.
Johannesburg snowfall explained:
The Weather Service says the cold temperatures are expected to persist throughout the week.
Gauteng residents woke to a cold weather and light snowfalls on Monday morning. But the Weather Service says there isn’t any further snowfall predicted for the province for the rest of the week.
Forecaster at the SA Weather Services, Kholofelo Mahlangu says “We do see some clearance but the minimum temperatures will remain quite cold. Below zero in some places and about 3 degrees in Pretoria north, Wonderboom and the rest of the Pretoria areas, Hammanskraal and so on.”
First experience of snow
Many families in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands braved the icy conditions to experience the snow. At Impendle, about 45 km west of Pietermaritzburg, some families made the journey from areas like Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Many stopped on the side of the road to build snowmen and to play, all warmly dressed for the adventure.
These people shared what they say was their very first experience in the snow.
One person says, “It’s our first time seeing the snow falling onto us. Our experience has been really amazing, its freezing but we came well dressed and well prepared. Its just such an amazing experience,”
“In 48 years it’s the first time seeing the snow. Wow its lovely it’s like Switzerland. I even made a snow man but my hands are frozen. It’s lovely,” adds another one.
The young children also shared in the delight, being able to play in the snow with their parents.
“I was making the snow man, and then I saw mom making a snow man so me and mom were fighting with the snow.” “The snow was amazing, it is my first time to experience the snow, we have a snow fight with mom.”
A Forecaster at the South African Weather Service, Thandiwe Gumede says colder conditions are expected to escalate as the cold front sweeps across the province.
“We also have an advisory for very cold conditions particularly over the western part as well as the Midlands of the province for today. We also have a possibility of some snow coming through over the western part of the province with snow becoming disruptive over the south western part of the province. Also another thing to note for the KwaZulu-Natal province to note is that we are expecting some strong winds, some places have already experienced those strong winds from as early as last night leading into this morning. Those southerly winds are expected are expected to continue with the speed during the course of the day with the speed ranging between 30 to 40 knots.”
