/ 7 August 2007

Winter has one last blast before spring

Winter had one last blast before making way for spring as snow fell in parts of South Africa on Tuesday.

Snow had fallen near the Hex River in the Western Cape, in Sutherland in the Northern Cape, near Tiffendell in the Eastern Cape and in parts of Lesotho and the Drakensberg, according to South African Weather Service forecaster Elke Brouwers.

Some showers were expected for KwaZulu-Natal but these would clear quickly, and in Gauteng the current low temperatures would rise to the lower teens over the next two days.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation reported Eastern Cape transport department spokesperson Tshepo Machaya as saying graders had to be used to reopen the Barkly Pass in the north-eastern Cape on Tuesday morning.

Wet conditions had caused about 20 road accidents in the Eastern Cape, one of which was fatal.

Snow had also fallen in the Penhoek Pass near Jamestown and the Boesmanshoek Pass between Sterkstroom and Molteno. More snow falls were reported in the Barkly East, Lady Grey and Elliot areas, the broadcaster reported. — Sapa