Cold snap on the way

RESIDENTS of KwaZulu-Natal are urged to brace for a cold snap expected to make its way through the country tomorrow and lasting until the end of the week, with heavy rains and possible snowfall predicted for some southern mountains.

According to the South African Weather Service, maximum temperatures are expected to be in the high teens.

The system would affect the southern parts of the Western Cape from today, spreading both east and north tomorrow and Thursday.

The cold weather is expected to reach the southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, southern Free State and the Northern Cape by tomorrow, before spreading to other parts of the province, Free State, Gauteng and Mpumalanga on Thursday, accompanied by maximum temperatures in the mid-teens.

Very cold weather will dom- inate high-lying areas of the Eastern Cape and south-western KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday.

Small stock farmers were warned to take pre-emptive measures at an early stage, ahead of the onset of the inclement weather, in order to protect their livestock during the unseasonal cold snap.

Light snowfalls are expected over the high ground of the Western Cape as well as the western high ground of the Eastern Cape from tomorrow. The snow is expected to spread east to include the eastern parts of the Eastern Cape by tomorrow afternoon. Further snowfalls are expected to spread to the south-western and western high ground of KwaZulu-Natal.

Widespread rainfall can also be expected over much of the southern and eastern parts of the country, with heavy rains and possible flooding expected in KZN, the Eastern Cape and eastern parts of Mpumalanga.