Cape Town - Residents in the Western Cape have been warned to prepare for cold and rainy weather over the Easter long weekend.
The SA Weather Service (Saws) on Wednesday said while predominantly sunny and warm to hot conditions currently dominate the subcontinent, this is set to change dramatically in the days ahead as a cold front arrives over the Western Cape at the start of the weekend, introducing cold, windy and showery conditions which will gradually spread eastwards and northwards.
“Cooler conditions with some showers or thundershowers will eventually set in over KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng towards the end of the weekend. By contrast, Limpopo is expected to remain hot to very hot during the entire weekend,” Saws said.
Currently, southern Africa is basking in a spell of autumn warmth and sunshine, with hot conditions being experienced over parts of the Northern Cape, Limpopo as well as over neighbouring Botswana. These conditions will persist during the first half of the coming weekend, according to Saws.
The arrival of a cold front over the south-western parts of Western Cape on Friday is expected to bring some light showers accompanied by cooler, windy conditions to the south-western and southern coast and adjacent interior.
“Over the open ocean, a south-westerly swell, characterised by a long fetch as well as a long wave period, is expected to begin impacting on the south-western and southern coastline of South Africa during Friday. Rough sea conditions over the Southern Ocean areas are expected to extend into Saturday, when spreading eastwards to include Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape,” it said.
Skippers of smaller marine vessels as well as rock anglers have been advised to exercise caution, as the surf and wave action close inshore may be dangerous and unpredictable.
“On Saturday and Sunday, windy and cool conditions will invade further over the Cape provinces, especially in the south, where showers will occur from time to time.
“Showers and thundershowers during this time may be heavy and disruptive over parts of the Eastern Cape coastline, especially in the region between Plettenberg Bay and East London, including the Gqeberha area. Bitterly cold, wet and windy conditions are expected to set in over all the mountain ranges and elevated terrain of Western and Eastern Cape,” Saws said.
The weekend will also see a gradual increase in thunderstorm activity over North-West, the Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), especially on Sunday and Monday. Localised, heavier falls, accompanied by hail in places, may lead to disruptive weather-related incidents, including flooding.
On Monday, cooler, gusty conditions will eventually spread to include KZN, Mpumalanga and Gauteng, accompanied by heavier thunderstorms, which may become severe, especially over northern KZN and the Mpumalanga Highveld.
Cape Times