Cape Town is in for a heavy downpour, with warnings that a cold front will bring with it strong winds, high seas and even snow.
|||Cape Town - Cape Town is in for its heaviest downpour of the year so far on Saturday - with warnings that a well-developed cold front will also bring with it “strong, damaging” winds, high seas and snow in some parts.
The Cape Town Weather Office has issued warnings that the cold front will reach the city by Saturday afternoon, continuing on Sunday and Monday. The mercury is set to hover in the mid-teens for the next few days.
Heavy rain is expected in greater Cape Town, the West Coast, Cape Winelands and Overberg districts on Sunday and Monday. Cape Town can expect above 50mm rain from on Saturday evening, UCT’s Climate Systems Analysis Group forecasts.
Residents will have to hold on to their hats as well. Strong and gale-force winds are expected all over the Cape on Sunday, with stronger winds around Cape Columbine and Plettenberg Bay.
Surfers and boaters should expect very rough seas, with wave heights from four to six metres expected from Alexander Bay to Plettenberg Bay from Sunday through Tuesday.
The NSRI urged boaters, fishermen, paddlers, and surfers to heed all weather warnings and be well prepared for the stormy weather over the coming days.
Snowfall was expected on the western areas of the Western Cape and southern high ground of the Northern Cape on Sunday evening and Monday.
Richard Bosman, the city’s executive director for safety and security, said the city would be operating according to its winter readiness plan.
There will be teams on standby to monitor flooded areas across the city. The disaster management centre will be operating around the clock.
The city announced this week it was allocating nearly R170 million to clear drains in high-risk flood areas, as well as other maintenance.
Nine high-risk areas have been identified, including informal settlements in Fisantekraal, Philippi, Gugulethu and Strand.
* Report flooding, blocked drains and service disruptions to the city’s customer contact centre at 086 0103 089. For all life- and property- threatening situations call 107 or 021 480 7700.
alison.decker@inl.co.za
Cape Argus