Gale force winds, cold and rain for election day

The SA Weather Service warns to take extra caution when erecting temporary structures on election day as gale force winds, extreme cold and rain is expected.

Johannesburg - The South African Weather Service has warned that extra caution should be taken when erecting temporary structures after predicting strong winds for most of the country on election day.

The SA Weather Service said “gale force (65-70 km/h) coastal winds are expected between Cape St Francis and East London while strong (30-50km/h) interior winds are also expected behind the cold front over much of the Western Cape, Northern Cape, and Eastern Cape. Strong and dry winds are also expected ahead of the cold front over the Free State, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga as well as the western and northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal”.

The service predicted cold and rainy conditions in the Cape provinces, with a possibility of snowfall in the high lying areas of the Western and Eastern Cape.

The cold front expected over the central and south-eastern parts of South Africa will reach Gauteng by the evening.

The service predicts cold daytime temperatures over the southern and central parts of the country, but mild to warm temperatures in the northern and eastern parts ahead of the cold front.

The South African Weather Service has urged the public to regularly follow weather forecasts on television and radio before going out to vote.

IOL and The South African Weather Service