Cold front and cut-off low causing disruptive snow and other severe weather warnings for Thursday

17 September 2024 [updated 19 September]
By Staff Writer

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A cold front and cut-off low-pressure system will introduce wintery conditions to the Western Cape, southern parts of the Northern Cape and the Eastern Cape from Thursday.

A cut-off low pressure system is expected to affect the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, parts of the Free State, Mpumalanga and Gauteng from Friday into Saturday.

Very cold conditions are expected over the interior of the Eastern Cape, the interior of KwaZulu-Natal, the southern and eastern parts of the Free State, and the Highveld and escarpment of Mpumalanga from Friday into Saturday while spreading to Gauteng on Saturday.

ALSO READ: Warnings issued for disruptive snow – heavy snowfall for the Free State, Eastern Cape and KZN.

Warnings from the SA Weather Service (SAWS):

A. orange level 6 warning for disruptive snow resulting in disruption to services and the temporary cut-off of communities is expected over the north-eastern high-ground of the Eastern Cape.

B. yellow level 2 warning for wind and waves leading to difficulty in navigation at sea and localised disruption to harbours or ports are expected between Saldanha Bay and Maputo.

C. yellow level 2 warning for disruptive rain leading to localised flooding of susceptible settlements and roads is expected over the Garden Route of the Western Cape.

D. yellow level 2 warning for disruptive snow resulting in icy roads and the closure of some mountain passes for a short period of time is expected over the northern and central high-ground of the Eastern Cape.

E. yellow level 1 warning for wind leading to difficulty in navigation at sea is expected between Saldanha Bay and Alexander Bay.

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the north-western and north-eastern parts of the North West province.

Regional forecasts from SAWS for Thursday:

1. GAUTENG
Fine and warm but hot in the extreme north. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High

PRETORIA
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/30°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Very High

JOHANNESBURG
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 10/27°C

VEREENIGING
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 9/27°C

2. MPUMALANGA
Fine and warm but very hot in the Lowveld. It will become cloudy over the eastern parts in the evening with drizzle along the escarpment.

MBOMBELA
Fine, becoming cloudy in the evening with drizzle.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/29°C

3. LIMPOPO
Fine and hot to very hot but extremely hot in the north-east. It will become partly cloudy in the south-eastern parts in the evening.

POLOKWANE
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 16/33°C

4. NORTH-WEST PROVINCE
Fine and warm to hot.

MAHIKENG
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 8/29°C

VRYBURG
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 5/28°C

5. FREE STATE
Fine and cool to warm, but partly cloudy in the south-west where it will be windy and cold.

BLOEMFONTEIN
Fine and windy.
Minimum/Maximum: 6/19°C

6. NORTHERN CAPE
Fine, windy and cool, but partly cloudy to cloudy and cold in the south. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly, reaching near-gale force from late afternoon.

KIMBERLEY
Fine and windy.
Minimum/Maximum: 4/21°C

UPINGTON
Fine.
Minimum/Maximum: 6/23°C

7. WESTERN CAPE
Partly cloudy in the west, otherwise cloudy and cold with isolated showers and rain, except over the north-western parts where it will be cool but scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers are expected along the south coast and adjacent interior. Light snow is also possible over the eastern mountains from the evening. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly, becoming easterly along the south coast from late evening. The expected UVB sunburn index: Low

CAPE TOWN
Partly cloudy with isolated showers and rain in the morning.
Wind: Fresh to strong south to south-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 11/16°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: High

GEORGE
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly, moderating and becoming easterly from the evening.
Minimum/Maximum: 10/14°C

8. WESTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Cloudy and cold with scattered showers and rain, but widespread in the south. Snow is expected over the high-lying areas. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong south-westerly early morning, otherwise moderate to fresh south-easterly, reaching strong in places.

9. EASTERN HALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE
Cloudy and cold with isolated to scattered showers and rain, but widespread along the coast and adjacent interior. It will be very cold in places over the high-lying areas where snow is expected from the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly, reaching strong in places. It will become fresh to strong south-easterly in the afternoon.

GQEBERHA
Cloudy with widespread showers and thundershowers.
Wind: Fresh to strong south-westerly early morning, otherwise moderate to fresh south-easterly.
Minimum/Maximum: 11/17°C

EAST LONDON
Cloudy with widespread showers and rain.
Wind: Fresh to strong south-westerly, becoming south-easterly in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/16°C

10. KWAZULU-NATAL
Fine in the west in the morning, otherwise cloudy and cool to warm with isolated showers and rain but scattered in the extreme south. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly, becoming strong to near-gale in the afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: Moderate

DURBAN
Cloudy with scattered showers and rain from the afternoon.
Wind: Moderate south-easterly in the morning, otherwise moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly, becoming strong to near-gale in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 15/20°C
The expected UVB Sunburn Index: Moderate

RICHARDS BAY
Cloudy with isolated showers and rain from the afternoon.
Wind: Moderate south-easterly in the morning, otherwise moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly, becoming strong to near-gale in the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 17/22°C

PIETERMARITZBURG
Morning fog patches, otherwise cloudy with isolated showers and rain from the afternoon.
Minimum/Maximum: 12/15°C

This forecast may change and updates issued more than once a day.

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