Lights will stay on this weekend despite stormy weather – Eskom
20 September 2024 | SANews
As several provinces brace for potentially disruptive snowfall, cold temperatures, and widespread rainfall this weekend, Eskom has reassured South Africans that measures are in place to maintain a stable power supply. It has now been nearly 180 days since loadshedding.
The South African Weather Service has issued warnings for significant rainfall along coastal regions, as a severe low-pressure system is anticipated to develop today along the border of the Northern and Eastern Cape provinces and will move into the southern parts of the Free State in the evening.
This system will result in widespread showers and thundershowers over parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (with possible heavy rainfall along the coastal regions), while scattered thunderstorms are possible over parts of Gauteng, western Limpopo, the eastern parts of the North West and the Free State as well as parts of Mpumalanga. Bitterly cold daytime temperatures of 4 to 8°C can be expected over the high-lying areas of the Eastern Cape, the eastern Free State, and the interior of KwaZulu-Natal, where widespread snowfall is likely.
Current numerical weather prediction models indicate the possibility of light snowfall over the southern parts of Gauteng and the remainder of the Highveld of Mpumalanga on Saturday morning. However, there is significant uncertainty regarding this outlook, as the forecast may still change.
Disruptive snowfall of 15 to 30 cm can be expected over the north-eastern high lying areas of the Eastern Cape, the western and southern areas of KwaZulu-Natal, the eastern Free State and the southern Highveld and escarpment of Mpumalanga, mainly on Friday, 20 September, continuing into Saturday morning, 21 September. This may result in the closure of mountain passes, loss of livestock and crops, and affect major traffic routes (parts of the N3, N5 and N11). Cold to very cold daytime temperatures (8 to 12°C) can also be expected over Gauteng and the eastern parts of North West on Saturday, 21 September.
The cut-off low is expected to weaken and exit the country from Saturday afternoon. Daytime temperatures are expected to recover quickly from Sunday into Monday across eastern South Africa