Weather warnings: SA Weather Service issues alerts for heavy rain, gusty winds in these provinces
It looks like it's going to be a cold and wet weekend for much of the country.
The South African Weather Service says another Spring cut-off low is expected to bring strong winds, heavy rain and very cold conditions across SA.
"The system is expected to pass over the western parts of the country on Saturday while propagating eastwards and eventually exiting the country by Tuesday. There will be near gale winds over the Cape provinces but fresh to strong wind over the North West, Gauteng, Free State and western parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, ceasing by Monday," the forecaster warned adding that this can result in damage to settlements, affect driving conditions along the N1 and N3 with possible problems for high-sided vehicles affected by winds, falling trees and possible blowing sand and dust.
Saws warned of scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers can be expected over the western parts of the country, while spreading over the central and eastern parts on Sunday and Monday but are expected to cease from the west by Tuesday.
Residents living in the south-west parts of SA can expect heavy downpours with rainfall accumulations exceeding 60mm n the south-west parts of the country on Sunday.
Saws said while it will advance along the south coast of the Western Cape and adjacent interior on Monday.
"This can be coupled with flooding of roads and settlements, damage or loss of infrastructure, property, vehicles, livelihoods and livestock, with the possibility hail. Along the coastal regions strong winds, coupled with very rough seas with wave heights of four to five metres, reaching higher heights by Saturday along the extreme south-western coastline by Monday. The waves are expected to subside on Tuesday," Saws said.
Meanwhile, temperatures are expected to be warm to hot, however a significant drop in temperatures can be expected from the west on Sunday, where temperatures will be cold to cool while these temperatures progress over the central by Monday.
Saws has issued these warnings for Sunday and Monday:
Yellow Level 4 warning: Disruptive rain leading to flooding of roads and settlements as well as damage to infrastructure over the Cape Winelands, City of Cape Town, Overberg and southern parts of West Coast Districts of the Western Cape on Sunday into Monday
Yellow Level 3 warning: Damaging wind and Waves leading to danger to navigation and disruptions to ports and small harbours are expected between Lambert's Bay and Plettenberg Bay on Sunday into Monday.
Yellow Level 2 warning: Disruptive rain leading to localised flooding of susceptible settlements or roads, low lying areas and bridges are expected over the southern Namakwa of the Northern Cape, northern parts of the West Coast, the western parts of the Central Karoo as well as over most parts of the Garden Route district of the Western Cape on Sunday into Monday.
Yellow Level 2 warning: Damaging winds leading to difficult driving conditions and localised damage to settlements are expected over the City of Cape Town, Cape Winelands, Overberg, Garden Route and Central Karoo municipalities of the Western Cape as well as over the Karoo Hoogland municipality of the Northern Cape on Sunday.
IOL