Last week's rare snow in Johannesburg caused a stir.(@ntombza/Twitter)
Gauteng residents woke to a rare sight on Monday morning — snowfall — as a freezing cold front sweeps through the country.
The last time it snowed in Gauteng, which was a very light snow, was on 7 August 2012.
Residents took to social media to share videos and photos of snow flurries in areas including Melville, Sandton, Auckland Park, Glenvista, Alberton and Krugersdorp, with the amount of snow recorded enough to build snowmen in some parts of the city.
According to the South African Weather Service, a cold front caused a significant drop in temperatures over Gauteng on Monday. The maximum temperatures are expected to reach 13°C in the northern areas of Gauteng, with minimum temperatures “recorded to have met criteria for snowy conditions”.
Snow was also observed over areas in Johannesburg south, such as Soweto, Alberton and Roodepoort.
Snow also fell in the eastern areas of Gauteng such as Heidelberg and parts of Ekurhuleni, including Vosloorus.
Light snowfall and sleet are still possible over the Highveld and the escarpment of Mpumalanga on Monday, where expected temperatures for areas such as Dullstroom, Belfast, Roossenekal, Mariepskop, Mount Anderson and Ermelo will not exceed 6°C. Research has shown that the Dullstroom areas get occasional snow towards the late winter.
The public and small stock farmers are advised that the very cold, wet and windy conditions may pose a risk to livestock, vulnerable crops and plants, it said. “Severe frost is expected overnight as well as on Wednesday morning. The public is also warned to keep warm during these cold conditions.”
The weather service said it expects Gauteng snow about every 10 years.
On Saturday, the weather service said snow had started to fall over the high lying areas of the Western and Northern Cape and spread to the high lying areas of the Eastern Cape. By Sunday, snow had spread to the southern Drakensberg with light snowfall possible along the eastern Highveld and escarpment of Mpumalanga on Monday.
“No major disruptions have been caused by any snowfall over the country at this stage,” it said.