Snow in Spring: Surprise Weather Hits South Africa this Sunday

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has highlighted an upcoming weather anomaly that South Africa is set to experience this Sunday, 10th of September, 2023. Though the nation has welcomed spring with warmer climes, SAWS warns of unexpected snowfall impacting parts of Western Cape, Northern Cape, and the Eastern Cape.

"In the late afternoon on Sunday, the first weather front will shift east while a second one envelopes the western parts of the country," the weather service communicated on Friday. This will lead to widespread showers and rain primarily over the south-western Cape, extending eastwards, coupled with windy weather across western and southern South Africa.

The Western Cape mountains are expected to witness significant snowfall commencing on Sunday night, persisting into Monday. Independent snow tracking service SnowReport corroborates this unusual weather forecast, predicting low-level snowfall in Western Cape, Northern Cape, and Eastern Cape.

The warmer parts of South Africa, meanwhile, are expected to remain dry over the weekend. Despite the majority of the region experiencing a warmer winter than usual, the western and southern parts of the country had a colder season. There is a high risk that hot conditions in these areas could trigger fires.

During June and July, SAWS recorded lower maximum temperatures for the Western, Eastern, and Northern Cape, indicating a 2°C plunge compared to average conditions during the same period. Other regions conversely experienced higher temperatures this winter. Limpopo, for example, recorded temperatures 3-4°C higher than average in June.