Author: Marillia Veldkornet
30 July 2023 Impact Based Warning: Yellow Level 2 – Damaging Waves
Impact Based Warning: Yellow Level 2 – Damaging Waves
The Cape Town Weather Office has issued a Level 2 Impact Based Warning for Damaging Waves valid from, 31 July until 1 August 2023.
Areas in the Garden Route district affected by damaging waves include Bitou, George, Hessequa, Knysna and Mossel Bay.
Report weather related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at: 044 805 5071.
27 July 2023 Media Release: Garden Route DM Council raises concerns about climate change
Media Release: Garden Route DM Council raises concerns about climate change
For Immediate Release
28 July 2023
This week at an Ordinary Council meeting hosted at the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Council Chambers on Wednesday 26 July, the Council of GRDM expressed their concern about weather-related incidents. Evidence is becoming clearer of a changing climate, following persistent rain in the Garden Route during the past few months.
Garden Route has become used to the high rainfall during the winter months, however in the recent never-ending periods of rain (more is predicted), with few intermittent days of sunlight, or cloud cover hampering drying out of soil and surfaces these conditions have changed the Garden Route’s landscape with diverse impacts on the agricultural, construction and commercial business sectors, as well as the urban and rural communities dependent on their normal functioning.
Rainfall figures were not exceedingly high throughout the past few months, but the constant floods and the fact that the wet region never had time to shed the water and properly dry out, damaged tarred roads and caused gravel roads to gradually become impassable. Furthermore, the erven of township dwellers with little ground cover, were completely wet for weeks on end.
Farmers on the coastal plateau perhaps suffered the most as productive dairy cows and livestock developed a variety of diseases because of the constantly muddy and wet underfoot conditions. These cows had to be slaughtered as there is not enough time between rainy periods to recover and with many remain in a doubtful state of health.
GRDM Councillors stressed the need for regional preparedness in dealing with a changing climate, and how to be better prepared for out of the ordinary climate events. Council also suggested that academic institutions such as universities should be requested for input and guidance, and from what avenues to obtain funding from, for invasive alien plant management and the upkeep of storm water systems. These funds should be sourced from national government where possible.
All this comes at a time when Europe and North America suffers the highest temperatures on record with thousands dying as the air becomes unbreathable and the constant heat unbearable. With this, the United Nations are expressing serious concerns and insisting actions, to dramatically reduce the burning of fossil fuels and that climate change inaction is unacceptable.
The Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF) recently co- hosted the Annual Climate Change and Environment Management Indaba with the Nelson Mandela University at the George campus. At the event, experts agreed that the Garden Route is a disaster-prone region, and that more planning needs to be in place even as predictions are that the region is heading to a drier period as the El Nino weather pattern will take effect later this year.
Article by: Cobus Meiring
27 July 2023 Impact Based Weather Warnings (Updated)
Impact Based Weather Warnings (updated)
The Cape Town Weather Office has issued an updated Impact Based Warnings for the Western Cape and Namaqua Region of Northern Cape as follows:
1. Warning: Damaging Waves Orange (Level 5)
Areas affected: Bitou, George, Hessequa, Knysna and Mossel Bay
Valid: From 29/07/23 (00h00) to 29/07/23 (23h59)
2. Warning: Disruptive Rain Yellow (Level 4)
Areas affected: Kannaland, Oudtshoorn,
Valid: From 28/07/23 (12h00) to 29/07/23 (00h00)
3. Warning: Disruptive Snow Yellow (Level 4)
Areas affected: Kannaland and Oudtshoorn
Valid: 29/07/23 (00h00) to 30/07/23 (00h00)
4. Warning: Disruptive Rain Orange (Level 6)
Areas Affected: Bitou, George, Hessequa, Knysna and Mossel Bay
Valid: 29/07/23 (00h00) to 29/07/23 (23h59)
Issued by:
SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER SERVICE
Cape Town Weather Office
2nd Floor: Oval Office Park
Cape Town Int airport
Freight Road
Matroosfontein
Cape Town
E-Mail: factfc@weathersa.co.za
Tel: 021 935 5700
Report weather-related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at 44 805 5071.
ENDS
27 July 2023 Media Release: A strong cold front and cut-off low expected to affect the Cape provinces this weekend, 28-30 July 2023
Media Release: A strong cold front and cut-off low expected to affect the Cape provinces
this weekend, 28-30 July 2023
For immediate release
27 July 2023
Heavy rainfall, very cold conditions, rough seas, snow, and strong to gale force winds are expected over parts of the Cape provinces this weekend as a strong cold front makes landfall on Friday evening, 28 July, along the west coast of the country. On Saturday, 29 July, a cut-off low rapidly develops over the Western Cape further exacerbating weather conditions. Although the Cape provinces will experience the brunt of these conditions, the central and eastern parts of the country will also experience cold to very cold conditions from Saturday evening into Sunday.
A strong cold front is expected to make landfall along the west coast of South Africa and Namibia during Friday evening, causing scattered to widespread showers and rain along the coast of the Northern Cape and the western parts of the Western Cape. Very rough sea conditions along the coastal areas and windy conditions over the central and western interior of the country are also anticipated.
On Saturday, a cut-off low (an extension of a deep low-pressure from the main westerly wave) develops over the Western Cape and is expected to spread to the south-western parts of the Eastern Cape during Saturday afternoon. Cut-off low pressure systems are well known for causing flooding, gale force winds and snowfall in winter. Widespread rainfall can be expected over the western and southern parts of the Northern Cape, most parts of the Western Cape, and parts of the Eastern Cape on Saturday. Heavy rainfall leading to flooding is possible over parts of the Cape Metropole, Cape Winelands, and especially the Overberg and Garden Route Districts of the Western Cape mainly on Saturday but already over the Cape Metropole from Friday evening. These conditions are expected to spread along the south coast of the Eastern Cape on Saturday afternoon.
Very rough seas (associated with strong winds), with wave heights between 4.0 and 6.0 m can be expected along the west coast from Friday night, spreading along the south coast of the Western Cape on Saturday, to the coast of the Eastern Cape on Saturday night and reaching the KwaZulu-Natal coast on Sunday. These conditions may cause disruption to beachfront activities and difficulty in navigation at sea for small to medium vessels. High seas with wave heights between 6.0 to 7.0 m can also be expected along the south coast of the Western Cape from Saturday afternoon into Sunday, spreading to the Eastern Cape coast on Sunday (see figure 2a), which can lead to possible beach erosion and put small to medium vessels at risk of taking on water or capsizing.
Snowfall is expected across interior mountain ranges of the Western Cape, the western and southern high ground of the Northern Cape and the high ground of the Eastern Cape from Saturday (see figure 2b) into Sunday and may extend into the Drakensberg region of KwaZulu-Natal and the extreme southern parts of the Free State on Sunday. Disruptive snowfall can be expected over the interior high ground of the Western Cape, the northern and central high ground of the Eastern Cape and the southern high ground of the Northern Cape on Saturday into Sunday, which may lead to loss of livestock, closure of mountain passes and result in some communities to be temporarily inaccessible.
Very cold conditions (maximum temperatures between 5°C and 10°C) are expected over the interior of the Cape provinces from Saturday into Sunday (see figure 3a and 3b), while cold conditions are expected to spread to the central and eastern parts of the country mainly on Sunday (see figure 3b).
The weather systems are expected to weaken significantly on Sunday while exiting over the south-eastern parts of the country, causing weather conditions to improve mainly from Sunday evening into Monday.
However, heavy ocean swell will continue to impact the southern and south-eastern coastline on Monday due to another cold front slipping along the southern coastal areas.
The South African Weather Service is closely monitoring this weather system and will update the public when needed. It is strongly advised that the public regularly follow weather forecasts on television, radio as well as social media platforms. Updated information in this regard will regularly be available at www.weathersa.co.za as well as via the SA Weather Service Twitter account @SAWeatherService.
Compiled by Wayne Venter
Edited by Elizabeth Viljoen
Approved by Tshepho Ngobeni
For technical and weather enquiries:
National Forecasting Centre: Tel: 012 367 6041
Media enquiries: Ms Hannelee Doubell: Manager, Communications;
Tel: (012) 367 6104; Cell: 072 222 6305; E-mail: hannelee.doubell@weathersa.co.za
ENDS
6 July 2023 Impact Based Warning: Veldfires
Impact Based Warning: Veld Fires
The Cape Town Weather Office has issued an Impact Based Warning for Veld Fires valid from 8:00 to 20:00 on 7 July 2023.
Areas in the Garden Route district affected by the warning include Kannaland and Oudtshoorn.
Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”
Report weather related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at: 044 805 5071.
ENDS
5 July 2023 Impact Based Warning: Yellow Level 2 – Damaging Waves
Impact Based Warning: Yellow Level 2 – Damaging Waves
The Cape Town Weather Office has issued a Level 2 Impact Based Warning for Damaging Waves valid from 7 July to 9 July 2023.
Areas in the Garden Route district affected by damaging waves include Bitou, George, Hessequa, Knysna and Mossel Bay.
Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”
Report weather related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at: 044 805 5071.
ENDS