A powerful Antarctic front has nestled itself within the central interior of southern Africa, with exceptionally cold conditions on the way for South Africa.
Through Wednesday, June 2 an incredibly rare “Level 5 snow warning” will be in place for multiple regions.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) made the announcement on their social media pages Tuesday afternoon, adding that “a very cold” night ahead was in store for many.
A “Level 5 Alert” has been implemented across four districts, due to the increasing threat of disruptive snowfall — these are Senqu / Barkly East, Elundini and Maclear, Matatiele, and Sakhisizwe / Elliot.
The Changing Jet Stream (video offered with most eu posts on the jet stream, CC)
Mountain passes along the Drakensberg Range are expected to be closed ahead of schedule, and drivers are asked to make alternative plans, reports TheSouthAfrican.com
According to SAWS, there’s a high chance this snowfall could be significant, and even “life-threatening.”
In a statement issued earlier, the weather agency warned farmers and drivers of the early-season and potentially record-breaking conditions:
“There is a likelihood of a significant impact to occur due to the accumulation of snow combined with extremely cold weather which may include the following: Danger to life and property due to hypothermia and the collapsing of infrastructure, widespread loss of livestock and crops, closure of all major routes.
“Melting snow towards the end of the period will cause small streams and rivers in the low-lying areas to flood. Freezing overnight temperatures will cause water to freeze on road surfaces resulting in extremely hazardous driving conditions.”
The below GFS run reveals the inbound shot of polar cold.
Temperature departures are forecast to sink some 12C below the seasonal norm.
GFS 2m Temperature Anomalies for June 2 [tropicaltidbits.com].
This will be the second time in 24 hours the Eastern Cape has seen a flurry of the white stuff.
Snow had already fallen in the southern Drakensberg and also across the mountain kingdom of Lesotho on June 1, reports news24.com.
The famous Semonkong Lodge in Lesotho tweeted pictures of its snow-blanketed lodges on Tuesday:
These latest flurries are coming off the back of the historically early flakes witnessed in late April.
As reported on May 1, the enclaved Southern African nation of Lesotho was blanketed in early-season snow on Friday, April 30, after the Mountain Kingdom experienced “something of a blizzard.”
This season looks set to be another doozy in SA, following what was an exceptionally cold and snowy winter season in 2020 when the sugarcane froze solid:
The recent forecast also comes after SAWS released its long-range winter weather outlook.
According to the report, a “colder-than-average winter” is in store for Gauteng and eastern parts, with “maximum temperatures expected to be below normal compared with recent years”, said SA meteorologist Vanetia Phakula.
And finally, with cold weather in SA comes the inevitable threat of power outages.
South African state power utility Eskom may look to implement planned power cuts as chilly conditions lead to a spike in demand.
Eskom’s struggles to power the African continents most industrialized nation are one of the main obstacles to economic growth.
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