Widespread showers and thunderstorms are headed to many parts of South Africa over the coming week due to prolonged heatwaves and below-average rainfall.
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The South African Weather Service has issued a warning for a cut-off low, known for causing widespread flooding, for early next week (6 to 9 April).
Furthermore, tropical moisture has made its way to the central and eastern parts of South Africa from neighbouring countries, which is forecast to result in scattered rainfall. This will spread to the southern parts of the Western Cape and parts of the Eastern Cape by tonight.
The intense cut-off low, which is expected to develop along the west coast tomorrow, is forecast to move over the Northern Cape on Sunday, reach the interior of the Western Cape on Monday and exit along the southern coast of the province on Tuesday.
Widespread showers and thundershowers are forecast to develop over South Africa this weekend and will continue until at least Tuesday, followed by calm and clear weather conditions.
Heavy rainfall over parts of the Overberg and south-west of the Western Cape is expected on Monday and Tuesday. Strong to gale-force south-easterly winds are also predicted for the Cape south-west coast. This could affect coastal marine routines and operations.
The inclement weather will be accompanied by cool to cold temperatures across part of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal from Saturday, which will spread across the rest of the country on Sunday into Monday.
The South Weather Service further advises that ‘there remains uncertainty among Numeric Weather Prediction (NWP) models regarding the intensity and future movement of the system.’
‘This uncertainty could lead to changes in rainfall amounts and distribution and the South African Weather Service will therefore provide regular updates to the public and disaster management on expected weather conditions and potential Impact-Based warnings’.
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