Severe hailstorms caused damage in several areas in the summer rainfall region over the weekend, with heavy rainfall recorded in places. Rain can fall almost daily over parts of the region during December, while the chance of more hailstorms is good.

By Alani Janeke, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad

Large hailstones, but also large amounts of hail, fell over parts of Johannesburg and Pretoria on Sunday night, with severe damage reported in some areas, the South African Weather Service says.

Hail has also occurred over other parts of Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Free State in recent weeks, says Johan van den Berg, independent agricultural meteorologist Johan van den Berg.

This time of year, the occurrence of hail is normal. “The highest frequency of hail usually occurs near high altitude areas such as the Drakensberg and Magaliesberg. With tropical moisture now moving in almost continuously from the north across the country, there is enough moisture left to cause rain and hail. With weather conditions close to mountain ranges, as well as strong low pressure systems and cold air from the south, the chance of further hail and stormy conditions is high. Hail can be expected sporadically for at least the next month or two.”

Very wet conditions daily

In the central to northern parts of the country, conditions are becoming very wet and producers are struggling to complete their final plantings, especially in the eastern production areas. In the central to western parts, plantings are progressing well. However, in the north-western Free State, with its unique soils that can hold a lot of water, planting is being made difficult by very wet conditions.

For most of the Free State (excluding the southwestern parts), the eastern parts of North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the northeastern parts of the Eastern Cape, the chance of almost daily rain is good until at least the end of December.

Van den Berg says very little rain is expected over the Northern Cape until approximately 12 December. Conditions for rain over the Northern Cape improve from 12 December until Christmas.

Also read: Favourable summer rainfall expected until January

More rain over Eastern Cape, Garden Route, winter rainfall region

A very interesting weather system developed from the south over the weekend. It brought rain and stormy conditions over parts of the Garden Route and large parts of the very dry Eastern Cape. The system began developing on 28 November and stretched from around Upington to just west of Mossel Bay. It rapidly moved eastwards.

The heaviest rainfall occurred at Patensie (39mm), Addo (36mm), Barkly West (30mm), Knysna (25mm), Kimberley (24mm), Cradock (22mm), Prince Albert (22mm), Avontuur in the Langkloof (20mm) and Prieska (14mm).

“Although good rain has fallen over parts of the more northern provinces, the rain over the Northern and Eastern Cape as well as the Garden Route is of utmost importance due to the very dry conditions there. The rain that has now occurred over these areas was the first significant rainfall in many months.”

Van den Berg says although runoff did occur in some places, such as Meiringspoort, it was not enough to replenish storage dams on a large scale. Further rain is urgently needed.

Light rain is possible over the Garden Route and parts of the Southern Cape around 6 December, with further rain expected over the Eastern Cape and Garden Route around 10 December.

“Around 12 and 13 December there is a possibility of rain of 5mm to 10mm over parts of the winter rainfall area due to a weak cold front, but little further rain is expected for the remainder of December.”