The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued warnings of a low-cut off system that is expected to bring dangerously strong winds and scattered thunderstorms in Western Cape this weekend.
Thunderstorms, gale force winds expected this weekend
In a statement, SAWS spokesperson Hannelee Doubell revealed that a cut-off low expected to build fierce momentum on the west coast from Friday 26 November 2021 “will influence the intensification of a surface trough over western parts of the country.”
“This will result in strong to gale force winds over the western and central parts of the country as well as isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers. However, widespread rain showers are expected along the south coast and adjacent interior of the Western Cape,” Doubell noted.
The cut-off low system is expected to traverse over the southern regions of South Africa on Saturday 27 November 2021, “maintaining a strong to gale force wind with rain and showers over the southern and central parts of the country.”
Based on forecasting observed by the weather authority, conditions should ease on Sunday 28 November 2021, as the system moves out of the country, past the central to eastern parts of the country.
“The winds will remain strong over the western and central interior at 40 to 50 km/h on Friday and Saturday, with gale force to strong gale force winds along the south coast on Friday, spreading to the south-east coast by Saturday afternoon,” SAWS warned.
Western Cape weather warnings to take note of
Ahead of what promises to be a very wet and windy weekend for the Western Cape, the South African weather authority issued impact-based warnings for these regions:
- Orange level 8 Warning for COASTAL WINDS resulting in disruption to craft in small harbours is expected between Table Bay and East London
- Yellow level 2 warning for WAVES resulting in difficulty in navigation at sea between Table Bay and Plettenberg Bay
- Yellow level 2 warning for FLOODING resulting in localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges expected along the south coast of the Western Cape
- Yellow level 2 warning for SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS resulting in localised damage to infrastructure, settlements (informal), property, vehicles, livelihood and livestock is expected over the eastern parts of the Northern Cape, the western parts of the North-West and Free State Provinces, and the central and eastern interior of the Western Cape.
- Yellow level 4 warning for INTERIOR WINDS resulting in structural damage is expected over the Northern Cape, Western Cape western parts of the North-West Province, Free State and the Eastern Cape.