The South African Weather Service has confirmed the occurrence of an EF-0 landspout in Hanover Park in Cape Town on 25 August 2023, shortly after 7am.
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According to the SAWS, a fully developed cold front reached the southwestern regions of the Western Cape on the morning of 25 August, marking the third in a sequence of cold fronts that have impacted the Western Cape since the preceding weekend.
Hanover Park, positioned in the Cape Flats area about 6.5 kilometres southwest of Cape Town International Airport in the Western Cape, was directly affected.
A resident of Hanover Park reported witnessing what they described as a ‘black, twister-like wind’ shortly after 7am. Notable damage was mostly due to the displacement of roof tiles and other debris from the roofs blown off of surrounding properties.
Through a thorough evaluation of the atmospheric conditions on the day in question, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) concluded that the wind event that struck Hanover Park was indeed a landspout.
Similar to a tornado, a landspout rotates, moves swiftly and can induce damage; however, landspouts are notably less potent and smaller in scope. They form from the ground upward, as opposed to descending from clouds.
Following a comprehensive assessment of the meteorological factors at play and the destruction caused by the landspout in Hanover Park, it was determined to be classified as an EF-0 landspout. This classification is linked to the roof tile displacement. The EF-rating designates the intensity (estimated wind velocity) of the wind phenomenon by gauging the severity of structural and arboreal damage.
The South African Weather Service expressed its gratitude to the City of Cape Town Disaster Management Centre and to residents for their assistance in contributing photographs, videos and observations.
It said that more visual materials or videos of the incident from the public would be invaluable for forthcoming research efforts. Individuals possessing such information are encouraged to share it with the Cape Town Weather Office either via email at [email protected] or via WhatsApp at 084 279 1166.
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Picture: Hanover Park my Home / Unsplash