IN PICTURES | Strong winds and wet weather herald arrival of spring

Heavy rainfall, severe thunderstorms and gale-force winds have been forecast for some parts of the country as spring sets in.

“A cut-off low pressure system has started developing southwest of the country [on Tuesday], resulting in isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers in the central and southern parts of the country,” said the SA Weather Service.

“These include the Western Cape, Northern Cape, the western parts of North West, Free State and the Eastern Cape.”

The storms are expected to become severe on Tuesday night, with a possibility of “strong and damaging winds and large hail stones”.

“Strong winds are also expected over most parts of the central interior, mainly in North West and Free State as well as the Cape provinces.

“This will result in fire danger conditions over the western parts of North West, the eastern interior of the Northern Cape as well as the western and central parts of the Free State,” the SA Weather Service said.

Strong southeasterly to easterly winds are set to reach 65km/h and 70km/h along the coasts, from Table Bay and along the southern coastal belt up to Port Alfred.

“As a result of these persisting windy conditions, seas will deteriorate substantially. High seas and wave heights in excess of 6m can be expected from this evening between Cape Point and Plettenberg Bay.

“Due to the easterly orientation of the waves, normally sheltered bays and beaches will be exposed to high waves, and this will pose serious difficulties.”

Heavy downpours with potential flooding are expected on Wednesday in the southern parts of the country, while windy conditions are expected to persist in many places over the Cape provinces, the Free State and North West.

“Gale-force winds will also continue along most of the country’s coastal belt before moderating later in the day,” said the service.

Weather conditions are expected to clear on Thursday.

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