Weather warnings as cold snap hits South Africa

The SA Weather Service has warned that heavy falls of rain are possible over the southern Free State, Lesotho, the extreme south-eastern part of Northern Cape, the northern interior of Eastern Cape, spreading to the Wild Coast in the evening and over southern KwaZulu-Natal.

Also forecast for today are gale force south-easterly winds are expected between Cape Point and Cape Agulhas, persisting until later today.

And in the Cape, the Service has warned that conditions favourable for the development of runaway fires are expected in the Cape Town area.

Heavy falls of rain are possible on Thursday in places over Botswana and along the south-east coast and on Friday in places over south-eastern Botswana, Northwest Province, Gauteng, northern Free State, the western highveld of Mpumalanga and the south-western part of Limpopo Province.

And heavy winds are expected in excess of 40 km/h or 20 knots over south-eastern Botswana, the Western Bushveld of Limpopo Province, Gauteng, North-West Province and north-western and northern Free State.