South Africans across various parts of the country are to brace themselves for a four-day long spell of inclement weather as a cut-off low pressure system develops along the west coast, the South African Weather Service (Saws) confirmed.
The system is expected to form on Saturday evening and quell by next Tuesday, Saws explained.
Saws said the storm is expected to develop along west coast area from Saturday night, with light rain to scattered showers expected along the garden route and interior parts of the Eastern Cape.
“The cut-off low will rapidly intensify by Sunday as it gets displaced northwards. It is expected to enter the country’s western interior, where it will result in widespread thundershowers and rain over parts of the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, and southern Free State,” Saws explained.
The Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Free State can also expect severe thunderstorms that may result in flash flooding and rough seas, with four to six metre waves projected to form on the Western Cape and Eastern Cape coastline.
Cold conditions are expected over western and southern parts of South Africa, with extreme cold temperatures expected to hit places in the Eastern Cape and Lesotho.
The adverse effects are true in places like Limpopo and Mpumalanga, where Saws said very hot temperatures can be expected.
“On Monday the cut-off low pressure system will move to the southern coast, developing a so-called scorpions tail, which will bring about further widespread and heavy rainfall over the southern parts of the Western Cape and southern parts of the Eastern Cape,” Saws said.
Between 60 to 100 mm of rain is expected to fall in these above-mentioned areas over the duration of the system.
According to Saws, a “scorpion’s tail” is when a low pressure system is driven by strong winds higher up in the atmosphere and contains connected clouds.
On Monday, the Eastern Cape and Western Cape can expect gale force winds again with the cut-off low pressure system expected to push away from the country by Tuesday.
The country recently dealt with a severe spring tide, which brought about destruction across the South African coastline, resulting in a number of deaths, injuries and damage to property.
Earlier this week, rough seas and inclement weather was a contributing factor in the deaths of three SA Naval officers, who were washed overboard the SAS Manthatisi during a training exercise.
The crew members were conducting a vertical transfer exercise, according to the Department of Defence (DOD), when seven of them were washed overboard the Heroine class sub and into the raging waters just off the Kommetjie coast.
Three crew members died and four were rescued.
In KwaZulu-Natal, video footage surfaced of a freak wave destroying a local restaurant along the south coast, as screams of fear could be heard in the background.
Medical emergency services confirmed the incident happened on Marina Beach area near Southbroom on Sunday afternoon.
Seven people were injured and a few were also washed out to sea when the wave receded but managed to find the shoreline to safety.
IOL