The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued an Orange Level 6 warning for damaging winds and waves leading to possible disruption of ports and small harbours between Plettenberg and Durban on Tuesday.
An orange level 9 warning was issued for disruptive rain last on Monday night over the south-western parts of Eastern Cape Province and the adjacent interior.
This after gale-force winds and heavy rains wreaked havoc in several parts of the Western Cape at the weekend.
“A cut off low system moves over the province and is combined with a high pressure ridging in ahead of it, associated with a tight pressure gradient and gale force winds, with high seas.
The swell direction will be from the south to the south-east.
The bays are expected to be not so protected during this system,” SAWS said.
Impacts include possible damage to coastal infrastructure and ecology.
The SAWS also issued a Yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms in the east of the Eastern Cape.
“A cut off low system is expected to lead to thunderstorms in the eastern parts of the province. Hail and strong winds could be possible.
“A combination of damaging winds and large amounts of small hail is expected to result in localised damage to property, infrastructure and settlements.
Localised communication and power interruptions.
“Localised flooding of low-lying roads and bridges may be possible in places.”
Acting Head of the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) Schalk Carstens said the centre and all its entities had been preparing days in advance for the cold front.
He said the weather system is moving towards the Garden Route region, but it has been downgraded to level 6 for now.
There are numerous road closures in place.
Cape Times