Cold front with possible snowfall to hit SA
South Africans have been warned to brace for possible cold, wet, and potentially hazardous weather conditions from Monday, with lingering effects expected until Friday in some regions.
A strong cold front is set to make landfall over the south-western parts of the country on Monday, bringing widespread rainfall, strong interior winds, and rough seas.
According to the South African Weather Service, the Western Cape and parts of the Northern Cape will be hardest hit early in the week, with a heightened risk of localised flooding in low-lying and vulnerable areas.
Forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela has also warned of the likelihood of snowfall on Wednesday over the high-lying regions of the Eastern Cape and the Drakensberg, which could worsen already severe weather conditions.
“We are also expecting a possibility of snow on the high-lying areas of the Eastern Cape into the Drakensburg and a drop in temperatures then will be expected over the central interior into parts of Gauteng by Tuesday evening into Wednesday where we are expecting a drop in temperatures mainly over the central interior and the eastern parts of the country,” said Thobela.
The first of two cold fronts is expected to strike the Western Cape on Monday, affecting especially the western interior, followed by a second system midweek that will maintain cold and wet conditions into Thursday.
Gauteng is also in the path of the cold snap, with strong winds and sharply lower temperatures forecast from Tuesday night into Wednesday.
“But, on Thursday we might start to see some change in the weather and some temperatures might start to pick up, but it will definitely drop temperatures especially the minimum temperatures and into the afternoon of Wednesday where we can expect low maximum temperatures,” Thobela added.
The South African Weather Service has warned of possible infrastructure damage, uprooted trees, travel delays on major roads, power disruptions, and hazards for high-sided vehicles—particularly along national routes.
Thobela noted that this type of weather pattern is typical for the season, as May marks the beginning of winter in South Africa, particularly in the south-western interior where cold fronts are more frequent.
“The Western Cape is when it receives its peak cold front—it’s usually in May. So, there is nothing different from what has been happening in the past winters,” he said.
Residents are urged to stay updated on weather warnings and take precautions to stay safe during this period of adverse weather.
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