LIFESTYLE NEWS - In a statement on Sunday, the SAWS said that following a relatively dry and warmer-than-usual month of May, South Africans can expect the first significant drop in daytime temperatures over the coming days, with showers and thundershowers possible across most parts and even some snow over elevated areas.
The weather service said this was a result of a developing cutoff low-pressure system (the northwards displacement of a low-pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere) over the western and southern parts of the country from Sunday into Monday.
“Cut-off low-pressure systems are commonly associated with widespread rainfall, snowfall, strong to gale-force winds, and rough sea conditions in winter.”
The weather service added that cold temperatures, between 12 and 17°C, are expected across the western and southern parts of the country spreading to the central and eastern parts (including the Free State, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga Highveld, and the interior of KwaZulu-Natal) on Monday.
Very cold, wet and windy conditions are expected over the southern high-lying areas of the Namakwa District (N. Cape) as well as the central and eastern interior of the Western Cape from Sunday until Wednesday.
There is a possibility of snowfall expected in places on Monday that will likely exacerbate these conditions. Snowfalls leading to possible loss of vulnerable livestock and crops and some passes closed for a short period is expected in the Hantam, Karoo Hoogland (N. Cape) and Beaufort West (W. Cape) on Monday.
A warning was issued for disruptive wind and waves leading to difficulty in navigation at sea of small vessels and personal watercraft is expected between Cape Point and Plettenberg Bay until Monday morning.
There was also a warning issued for severe thunderstorms resulting in large amounts of small hail and localised flooding of roads and settlements is expected over the Central Karoo, Garden Route, Cape Winelands and the Overberg districts from Sunday evening into Monday morning, including the eastern parts of the West Coast Monday evening.
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