Today's weather: Cold, wet and windy conditions sweep large parts of South Africa

Disruptive rainfall, damaging winds and thunderstorms across South Africa on Thursday.

Image: File

South Africa is in for a dramatic change in weather on Thursday, as a cut-off low-pressure system brings rain, strong winds and much colder conditions to several parts of the country.

The Western Cape and Northern Cape are expected to feel the strongest effects, with widespread cloud, rain and damaging winds developing as the system moves across the western interior.

The South African Weather Service has issued Yellow Level 4 warnings for disruptive rainfall over the Overberg and Garden Route, while damaging winds are expected across parts of the Northern and Western Cape. Coastal areas between Alexander Bay and Plettenberg Bay could also experience damaging winds and dangerous waves.

Rain will be most widespread along the southern and southeastern parts of the country. The rainfall chart indicates an 80% chance of rain along parts of the southern coast, including areas of the southern Western Cape and extending towards the Eastern Cape.

Large parts of the southern interior and Eastern Cape have a 60% chance of rain, while some areas around the central interior have a 30% chance of isolated showers or thundershowers.

The wettest conditions are expected along the southern coastline, where persistent rain could result in localised flooding.

A 60% chance of rain is indicated across broad areas stretching from the Western Cape interior through parts of the Eastern Cape, while an area around the Free State and central interior has a 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms.

The weather will also turn particularly windy. Damaging winds are expected over parts of the Northern Cape and Western Cape from Thursday afternoon, with the potential to damage temporary structures, cause falling trees and create hazardous travelling conditions.

Along the coast, waves could reach between 4.5 and 5.5 metres in places, creating dangerous conditions for small boats and coastal activities.

Further east, showers and thundershowers are expected to become more prominent as the system gradually moves across the country. Parts of the Free State, Gauteng, North West, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal will see increasing cloud and a noticeable drop in temperatures from Friday onwards.

Severe thunderstorms, with the possibility of heavy downpours, damaging winds, hail and excessive lightning, are expected to become a bigger concern from Friday into the weekend.

Residents in affected areas should prepare for rapidly changing conditions, while motorists should exercise extra caution on wet and windy roads.

Along the coast, people are urged to stay away from dangerous surf and exposed coastal areas as the powerful weather system moves through.

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