Low-level snow expected across South Africa and Lesotho

24 May 2020 - 16:32PM
By Richard Le Sueur and Rob Ansell

Widespread snow is expected across South Africa and Lesotho from Monday this week, with temperatures dropping well below zero in many parts of the country.

Up to 10cm of snow is possible in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and Lesotho. Light snow is possible in any of the areas marked on the map, with more expected on the high peaks.

The snow is expected in the western part of the country from the early hours of Monday morning, and continuing as the front moves east until late Tuesday evening.

In the Western Cape most of the high-peaks around Somerset West, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, Wellington, Tulbagh, Worcester, Ceres, De Doorns, the Koue Bokkeveld, the Cederberg are expected to receive a few centimetres.

As the front moves east the peaks around Robertson, Montagu and Swellendam should get some snow. The Swartberg range north of Ladismith, Oudtshoorn and De Rust should also be in the zone, as well as the Outeniqua range outside George. The mountains around Beaufort West are also expected to get a dusting.

At this point, the heaviest snow is expected on the high peaks in the south of the country near Uniondale. The highest peaks in this area might get over 10cm of snow as the freezing level is expected to be very low.

The southern parts of the Northern Cape around Sutherland, Calvinia, Fraserberg might also get some light snow, as well as the peaks to the south of Springbok.

Further inland in the Eastern Cape, snow is expected on the high ground around Graaff-Reinet, Nieu-Bethesda, Cradock, Molteno, Somerset East, Hogsback, Queenstown, Dordrecht, Barkly East, Rhodes, Elliot, Maclear and Matiatiele.

The high ground in the southern and eastern Free State may also get some light snow, as per the map. There is also potential for very light snow on the high ground to the west of KwaZulu-Natal, as far north as Harrismith and as far south as Kokstad.

Snow is also possible across much of Lesotho, with coverage depending on how much moisture makes it inland with the front.

If more moisture arrives than currently indicated in the data, and if it pushes further inland, we could see heavier snowfalls and more widespread snow. Similarly, if the system does not deliver the moisture that is expected, we can expect less snow.

Temperatures across the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, the Free State and Lesotho are expected to drop as low as -10 degrees Celsius in places.

The very low temperatures may also result in ice on some of the high-altitude mountain passes in South Africa and Lesotho.

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