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Cape Town - The first white peaks of winter are already visible in the Eastern Cape near Graaff Reinet on the Wapadsberg Mountain Pass, and South Africans in the Western Cape are already feeling the cold front in all its glory.
The following images of snow on the mountains were sent from the Asantesana Game Reserve near Graaff Reinet in the EC:
(Kitty Viljoen)
(Kitty Viljoen)
Jason du Preez also captured this wintry shot from the Karoo Eco Reserve outside Graaff Reinet:
(Jason du Preez)
An update from Snow Report South African for Thursday shows a small section bordering on the Eastern Cape Drakensberg is now falling into the snow zone.
If the band of moisture pushes just 50km inland from here, Snow Report SA has warned, we could see more snow in this area, and possibly into Lesotho, and some possible flurries into the Matatiele area late this afternoon or this evening.
(Snow Report SA)
Eastern Cape passes expected to be affected are the Wapadsberg Pass, as well as Naudésberg pass.
The Wapadsberg Pass serves as a gateway to Cradock via the R61, and travellers are advised to use alternative routes via Middelburg or Somerset East to avoid slippery roads and/or the complete closure of the passes.
Travellers heading to the Bedford SoulFood Festival this weekend, should drive safely on the snowy roads and pack accordingly for the bitterly cold nights expected.
Apart from the cold front this week, the Eastern Cape is gearing up for a longer than usual winter this year as weather forecasts indicate a bitterly cold, dry winter, with plenty of heavy frost and sub-zero temperatures can be expected.
Traveller24 reported on Tuesday that a cold air system started impacting the country from Tuesday afternoon, 14 April.
See: UPDATE: Snow alert extended to greater Eastern Cape
Eskom is currently implementing Stage One Loadshedding across the country, and South Africans are urged to make safe use of alternative heat and cooking sources such as gas and paraffin.
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