By Alani Janeke
The next cold front is already on its way to South Africa again.
“The minimum temperatures in many areas of the winter rainfall area could also drop sharply to below 5°C until around the end of June,” says Johan van den Berg, independent agricultural meteorologist.
The temperatures in the southern parts of the summer rainfall area could drop sharply again in the short term from 18 June and remain below freezing until well into July.
Regarding the longer-term forecast for the summer rainfall area, frost and temperatures below 0°C will regularly occur over the central to southern and southeastern interior until at least the end of August. “The trend of the last decade or two is that short-term cold conditions can occur until very late in the season, and in many cases up to a month later than two decades ago. This increases the risk of frost damage, as daytime temperatures warm up faster and allow plants to bud and develop earlier, only to then freeze to death again.”
Snow and rain
He says there is a good chance that further snowfalls could occur from 18 June in the mountainous parts of the Western and Northern Cape, as well as in Lesotho. Short-term forecasts should be closely monitored in this regard, also so that farmers can prepare to keep their livestock safe from this cold.
According to Van den Berg, a cut-off low-pressure system brought very heavy rain over parts of the Eastern Cape, which resulted in loss of life and severe flood damage. This system also brought more than expected rain over the winter rainfall area.
Since the beginning of May, about 66mm has been recorded in Malmesbury in the Swartland, 69mm in Hopefield, 53mm in Worcester, 39mm in Bredasdorp, 32mm in Riversdale and 23mm in Oudtshoorn.
“The long-term forecasts remain quite unfavourable for rain, with average to below-average rainfall still expected for the rest of the winter.”
The cold front that will move in across the country from 16 June will bring 20mm or more of rain to the Winelands district and the Cape metropolis. Around 15mm is forecast for the Swartland and less than 10mm for the Southern Cape, including the Rûens area.
Read more:
