As South Africans gear up for the Easter weekend, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a warning of continued wet weather across several regions, which could impact long-distance travel and holiday activities.
On Wednesday, heavy rainfall and thunderstorms affected KwaZulu-Natal and the eastern half of the Eastern Cape, with a Level 2 disruptive rainfall warning issued for parts of the Wild Coast and southern KZN.
According to SAWS, cloudy and cold conditions with heavy rains and thundershowers persist in the east today, prompting authorities to alert the public to potential flooding and travel disruptions.
Rainfall will begin to subside on Thursday, but isolated showers and thundershowers are still expected over the north-eastern parts of the country, including Limpopo and Mpumalanga, as well as light coastal rain along the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
Weather maps for April 18 to 19 April show a 30% chance of rainfall over the central and north-eastern regions, including parts of the Free State, Gauteng, and North West provinces. The rest of the country, particularly the west, will remain dry with NIL rainfall probability.
However, by April 20 to 21, a surface and upper-air trough will result in a notable shift in weather patterns. Maps show widespread rainfall probabilities of 30% to 60%* across the western interior, southern, and south-eastern parts of the country, including the Northern Cape, parts of the Free State, the Eastern Cape, and the Garden Route.
Some areas, particularly along the southern Drakensberg, may experience heavier downpours.
Temperatures throughout the long weekend will remain cool to warm, with colder conditions prevailing in areas experiencing rainfall.
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