By Rorisang Modiba
- The first cold front will arrive on Monday, followed by a stronger one on Tuesday with wind, rain and possible flooding.
- Weather warnings include 7-metre waves, winds up to 75km/h and freezing conditions with possible snow in high area.
After a few calm and sunny days, the Cape is in for another cold, wet week.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned that two cold fronts will sweep across the Western and Eastern Cape from Monday, 19 May to Friday, 23 May.
The first front will hit the south-western coast on Monday. While not too severe, it will signal what’s to come — a second, stronger system will follow on Tuesday.
That second front is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and even snow to parts of the country.
From Tuesday, the stormy weather will move inland, spreading to the Namakwa District and across the Eastern Cape. Forecasters say there could be flooding in low-lying areas with poor drainage.
Mountain regions could see as much as 50mm of rain. Inland winds could reach up to 65km/h, with coastal gusts blowing as high as 75km/h between Alexander Bay and Plettenberg Bay.
The sea is expected to be particularly rough on Tuesday and Wednesday, with waves reaching up to 7 metres on the south-eastern coast.
High-lying inland areas may also get snow, and the cold air is likely to spread further across the country by Tuesday night, sticking around until Friday.
The weather service says it is watching developments closely and will issue more alerts if necessary.
They have urged the public to follow their updates on social media or get in touch with their forecasting centre for the latest warnings.
Pictured above: Heater.
Image source: File
