Weekend weather wrap | Rain, snow and everything you need to know

South Africans are bracing for a significant shift in weather patterns as a powerful cut-off low (COL) system is set to sweep across the nation, bringing with it a cocktail of severe winter conditions.

The system, known for its capacity to deliver extreme weather, is expected to make its presence felt beginning early on Saturday morning, particularly in the Western and Northern Cape regions, and is forecasted to persist well into the following week.

The South African Weather Service (Saws) said that by Monday, the COL system will have moved eastward, bringing an array of challenges, including significant drops in daytime temperatures that may plummet below +10°C across all provinces, except Limpopo.

"Farmers are especially urged to take precautionary measures to safeguard their livestock from the risks posed by bitter cold and fierce winds," Saws warned.

What to expect

Widespread snowfalls: Almost every province will see snowfall, leading to traffic disruptions—most notably along mountain passes such as the N3 highway at Van Reenen’s Pass on Monday and Tuesday.

Strong winds: Damaging surface winds will lash across large parts of the interior provinces starting Sunday, raising the alarm for an elevated risk of wildfires in the central and eastern interior as the cold front approaches.

Coastal conditions: The south-west coast will experience strong to near-gale force winds and turbulent seas beginning Friday, with these conditions extending to the south and eastern coasts through Tuesday.

Heavy rainfall: Localised flooding and potential infrastructure damage are anticipated along the Eastern Cape coast, shifting focus to southern KwaZulu-Natal by Monday.

Severe thunderstorms: Risks of damaging hail and high winds could also emerge over North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal during Monday and Tuesday, contributing to the unpredictability of the forecast.

Comrades Marathon weather

For the thousands of participants in the Comrades 2025 ultramarathon scheduled for Sunday, conditions are expected to start off mild to warm, but runners should be prepared for a notable cool change later in the day.

As a coastal low and cold front progress northward along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, cooler, humid conditions will begin to settle in, possibly bringing showers or thunderstorms over the Drakensberg, ultimately reaching the coastal regions in the evening.

Snow expected

In an unexpected turn, there may be light snowfalls over Gauteng and the highveld region of Mpumalanga on Monday night, but uncertainty remains around this development, as varying weather prediction models offer divergent forecasts. 

IOL