Brace for more snow, heavy rain and cold in Eastern and Western Cape

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued an orange level 6 warning for disruptive snowfall over parts of the Eastern Cape on Tuesday as a cold front sent temperatures plummeting across the country.

Disruptive rain and the possibility of flooding was forecast over Kouga, Ndlambe and Ngqushwa municipalities, as well as Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City metropolitan municipalities in the province. 

Heavy rainfall was also forecast for parts of the Western Cape, including the Cape winelands, Cape Town, west coast and Overberg.

“Disruptive snow resulting in loss of livestock and crops as well as some communities being inaccessible is expected over the north-eastern high ground of the Eastern Cape,” said SAWS. 

“Damaging wind leading to localised disruptions to harbours and/or ports, difficult driving conditions along coastal routes/roads and choppy seas, as well as possible coastal infrastructure damage in exposed bays, are expected along the coast between Cape Agulhas and Plettenberg Bay.

“Very cold, wet and windy conditions are expected in places over the interior of the Eastern Cape, the southern high-lying areas of the Namakwa district as well as the central and eastern interior of the Western Cape. The possibility of snowfalls in places will likely worsen conditions,” said SAWS.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday conveyed his condolences to the families of at least seven people who died in weather-related incidents at the weekend on the Eastern Cape coast.

“The loss of life, destruction of public infrastructure and loss of personal property brought about by the forces of nature saddens all South Africans,” said Ramaphosa.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) reported seven people died and two were missing after rain threatened to burst the banks of the Baakens River and damaged roads, homes and businesses in Kariega. 

The NSRI issued a spring tide safety warning expected to bring “a higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide” as the new moon spring tide phase peaks on Thursday.

“Sea conditions around the coast are rough from the cold fronts and storms that have battered parts of the coastline,” said the NSRI.

Meanwhile, a group of fishermen rescued a man who was washed off a harbour wall by waves in the Eastern Cape on Monday. 

“The local man, in his 40s, was swept off the harbour wall into the harbour when local fishermen, preparing their fishing boat for the season, saw his peril and leapt into action,” said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon. 

“Buchanan Breytenbach abandoned his jersey and gum boots and leapt into the water. He reached the casualty and pulled him up from under water and managed to prevent him going back under.” 

TimesLIVE