News24.com | Weather warning: Heavy rainfall and flooding to hit Eastern Cape over the weekend

Morning fog and rain is expected in several provinces.

• Farmers of small stock in mountainous areas of all Cape provinces are advised to move animals to dry shelters at lower elevations this weekend. 
• The SA Weather Service issued the warning as it predicts an extended spell of cold and wet weather with snowfall hitting the three provinces this weekend.  
• The Eastern Cape has been warned to brace for heavy rainfall and flooding.  

Heavy rainfall leading to flooding will hit parts of the Eastern Cape this weekend, the SA Weather Service has warned.   

The rainfall is likely to occur over the eastern parts of the Eastern Cape on Saturday, specifically between East London and Port St Johns, including the adjacent interior regions, the weather office said. 

Moreover, further rainfall is expected to persist over this region on Sunday when significant rainfall spreads over parts of KwaZulu-Natal.  

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The office warned: “Persistent rainfall of this magnitude, enhanced by sustained cool, moist onshore flow against the coastal topography, is highly likely to lead to localised urban and river flooding as well as damage to infrastructure.” 

Rainfall is already occurring over the southern parts of the country, with cold, rainy conditions expected to persist over the weekend, said the weather authority. 

It added that these conditions migrate further northward and eastwards over southern Africa.

A cold front made landfall on Thursday, moving further over the interior of Western and Eastern Cape overnight and introducing cloudy and cold conditions to these provinces. 

Snowfalls are expected over the mountainous regions of all three of the Cape provinces, however, the falls of snow are mostly expected to be relatively light and of a patchy, non-disruptive nature. 

Given the expectation of an extended spell of cold, wet weather as well as the possibility of snowfall over mountainous parts of Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape, farmers of small stock have been advised to move animals to dry shelters at lower elevations. 

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Only experienced, well-prepared hikers and climbers should consider venturing into the mountains and hiking trails of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, especially the Drakensberg region, this weekend. 

The risk of hypothermia in mountainous terrain, especially if lost, injured or ill-prepared, could prove to be life-threatening. 

Daytime temperatures for the weekend are expected to be between 12 and 16°C over the interior of the Cape provinces on Friday, with cold, showery conditions spreading into the Free State, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KZN during the weekend.