Cold front brings snow to Western Cape and sub-zero chill to Joburg

A strong cold front brought snowfall to parts of the Western Cape along with temperatures below 10 degrees on Tuesday for parts of SA.

SA Weather Service (SAWS) forecaster Banetia Thakula said snow fell over the Cape Fold Mountains early on Tuesday. The snow and rain were expected to stop by the afternoon.

Thakula said as the weather cleared, the mountains would remain snow-capped for a while.

Temperatures plummeted in Johannesburg with a low of 3°C and high of 10°C forecast for  Tuesday. Cold conditions are expected to persist in Gauteng with a low of -2°C forecast for Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Cold to very cold conditions were expected across the Eastern Cape on Tuesday with possible light snowfall in places over the mountains, SAWS said in its travellers forecast. The public and small stock farmers were advised to take precautions.

Cold, wet and windy conditions were expected over the southern parts of the Northern Cape and Free State on Tuesday, with a chance of light snow over the southern parts of the Northern Cape and Free State.

Thakula said more rain was expected on Saturday but would be confined to the south-western coast of the Western Cape.

She said temperatures were starting to drop along the interior of the Free State, North West, and Gauteng.

Thakula said in the seven-day forecast, another strong cold front was expected to make landfall in the Western Cape on Monday with early indications that it might bring more snowfall to parts of the country.