Some parts of the Western Cape could drop to -5°C on 14/15 August – Photo: Unsplash
Some parts of the Western Cape could drop to -5°C on 14/15 August – Photo: Unsplash
Rain, snow, wind, and now, sub-zero temperatures: The four horsemen of the cold weather apocalypse will all be present in the Western Cape this weekend, and a ‘big freeze’ is now forecast for the province on Sunday night. We sincerely hope the locals have their blankets at the ready.
Big freeze due on Sunday, will last until Monday morning
A glance at the latest weather forecast for the Western Cape shows us that the mercury will plummet this weekend, and even the major urban conurbation of Cape Town will see temperatures dip into single figures. Inclement conditions will persist over the next 48 hours or so.
This latest cold front will see *some* mountain ranges get a dusting of snow, with higher-ground communities also hopeful of a flurry. Parts of the Cape Winelands and remote areas near Ceres are on course for up to 50mm of rain before the start of next week.
But, as we’ve recently learned, when the rain stops on Sunday, icy temperatures will sweep across the Western Cape overnight. Before daybreak on Monday 15 August, a number of provincial locations are projected to see thermometers drop below freezing.
Western Cape weather latest: Freezing temperatures forecast
Extreme eastern regions of the Western Cape – particularly places near the border with the Eastern Cape – will experience the frostiest temperatures of the lot, with -5°C forecast for Murraysburg. Some rural areas of Oudtshoorn are set for readings of -3°C late on Sunday night.
Cape Town itself will experience lows of 8°C, but some patches of frost could emerge in the wider municipal catchment. Northern regions like Atlantis and Kalbaskraal will flirt with freezing conditions, and the mercury could reach 0°C overnight.
Where will the coldest spots in the Western Cape be for the big freeze?
Paarl and Stellenbosch will have to contend with bracing 5°C temperatures, with Worcester dipping to 4°C. Thanks to the forecast put together by Ventusky, we are able to identify parts of the Western Cape that are predicted to record sub-zero temperatures on 14/15 August:
- Murraysburg: -5°C
- Oudtshoorn (rural): -3°C
- Touwsrivier: -2°C
- Beaufort West: -1°C
- Laingsburg: -1°C
- De Doorns: -1°C
- Kalbaskraal: -0.5°C
- Op die Berg: 0°C
- Oudtshoorn (central): 0°C
- Caledon: 0°C
