At the change of any of the seasons I am always bombarded with questions and quips that summer is arriving early, or winter will be colder this year.
All based on emotions and very little on fact. This weekend was no exception, with my good friend Loftie commenting that winter had arrived early and that he was sure winter would be colder than normal.
I told him to drink up and put on an extra pair of short pants if the cold was getting to him.
There is no doubt that we are starting to feel the morning and evening chill, with the shorter days.
We are after all, well into autumn with winter a mere two months away, as we can see the trees shedding their leaves and causing a mess in our gardens.
Besides, it is the middle of April, and we usually get our first outbreak of cold by the Easter weekend, depending on when it falls.
Halfway through April, average temperatures are around two degrees above the norm, but that could change with an outbreak of a cold snap over a few days.
At the time of publication, the minimum temperature had not dipped below 10°C in the Bay. In 2023, it dipped to 8.1°C on the 11th and 9.1°C on the 12th in 2022.
We normally get at least one day with a minimum of below 10°C before mid-April.
Incidentally, the earliest date it dipped in modern times is to 9.5°C on March 2 2013. Now that was exceptional to say the least.
As I have said so many times before, the figures never lie and by all standards, 2025 cannot be considered as a year where winter has arrived early.
What does the rest of the year and season look like?
Though a great fan of the seasonal forecast, this time around it did not foresee the exceptional rainfall over the interior and more especially the northeastern sector of the country.
The figures from around the Ermelo/Vrede area are mind-blowing to say the least.
The latest seasonal forecast is predicting a dry winter with lower maximum temperatures and minimums only slightly lower than normal in the Bay.
Minimum temperatures over the interior are forecast to be higher than normal, thus decreasing my chances of witnessing some snow on one of our planned road trips.
I was hoping to see the Drakensberg mountains covered in snow.
However, remember this is the time of the year that we experience those Berg Wind conditions with temperatures rising well into the 30s.
So, when we get one of these days, especially before a cold snap, do not think that the weather has gone crazy, it would be unheard of if we don’t experience a few of these at this time of the year.
It is interesting that we measured 40.1°C in April 2006, the highest being 40.2°C recorded in February 2020.
With the interior sitting at a peak, as far as rainfall is concerned, and our region coming out of the doldrums of low rainfall, it is only logical that one can consider this as a turning point.
Weather is cyclical and nothing has changed atmospherically since Biblical times and the warnings of Joseph’s dreams about the seven years of abundance and seven years of shortage still hold true.
This must surely be a warning of a wet period ahead for us in the Bay.
I sincerely hope that the powers-that-be up north realise that this is as good as it is going to get and start preparing for a dry period.
Prevention is always better than cure. Though the Vaal Dam is overflowing at present, with sluice gates open, it was only a few months ago that it was at a critical low level.
What happens up north affects us as far as agricultural products are concerned, and I know housewives will recall last year when potato prices almost hit the R200 mark a bag.
One wonders with all the rain if the farmers have been able to work their lands in preparation for the winter crops, especially potatoes.
We are after all a slap-chip-loving nation and what is that Sunday lunch without a crispy roast potato.
This week in history:
1977 Floods reported in Despatch as well as Uitenhage/Kariega
Dam Levels
71.24% down from 71.58% the previous week. Impofu was slightly down at 54.28%
Weather Safety Tips:
Driving in fog is of the most dangerous driving conditions that you will experience.
The thicker the fog the more compromised are your perceptions of depth and distance. Add to that reduced visibility and your chances of an accident are increased.
Avoid driving in foggy conditions as far as possible.
Now on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: WEATHER GURU
Email: info@wgawx.co.za with feedback or requests
Weekender
Contrary to some pundits, winter has not arrived early
Image: SUPPLIED
At the change of any of the seasons I am always bombarded with questions and quips that summer is arriving early, or winter will be colder this year.
All based on emotions and very little on fact. This weekend was no exception, with my good friend Loftie commenting that winter had arrived early and that he was sure winter would be colder than normal.
I told him to drink up and put on an extra pair of short pants if the cold was getting to him.
There is no doubt that we are starting to feel the morning and evening chill, with the shorter days.
We are after all, well into autumn with winter a mere two months away, as we can see the trees shedding their leaves and causing a mess in our gardens.
Besides, it is the middle of April, and we usually get our first outbreak of cold by the Easter weekend, depending on when it falls.
Halfway through April, average temperatures are around two degrees above the norm, but that could change with an outbreak of a cold snap over a few days.
At the time of publication, the minimum temperature had not dipped below 10°C in the Bay. In 2023, it dipped to 8.1°C on the 11th and 9.1°C on the 12th in 2022.
We normally get at least one day with a minimum of below 10°C before mid-April.
Incidentally, the earliest date it dipped in modern times is to 9.5°C on March 2 2013. Now that was exceptional to say the least.
As I have said so many times before, the figures never lie and by all standards, 2025 cannot be considered as a year where winter has arrived early.
What does the rest of the year and season look like?
Though a great fan of the seasonal forecast, this time around it did not foresee the exceptional rainfall over the interior and more especially the northeastern sector of the country.
The figures from around the Ermelo/Vrede area are mind-blowing to say the least.
The latest seasonal forecast is predicting a dry winter with lower maximum temperatures and minimums only slightly lower than normal in the Bay.
Minimum temperatures over the interior are forecast to be higher than normal, thus decreasing my chances of witnessing some snow on one of our planned road trips.
I was hoping to see the Drakensberg mountains covered in snow.
However, remember this is the time of the year that we experience those Berg Wind conditions with temperatures rising well into the 30s.
So, when we get one of these days, especially before a cold snap, do not think that the weather has gone crazy, it would be unheard of if we don’t experience a few of these at this time of the year.
It is interesting that we measured 40.1°C in April 2006, the highest being 40.2°C recorded in February 2020.
With the interior sitting at a peak, as far as rainfall is concerned, and our region coming out of the doldrums of low rainfall, it is only logical that one can consider this as a turning point.
Weather is cyclical and nothing has changed atmospherically since Biblical times and the warnings of Joseph’s dreams about the seven years of abundance and seven years of shortage still hold true.
This must surely be a warning of a wet period ahead for us in the Bay.
I sincerely hope that the powers-that-be up north realise that this is as good as it is going to get and start preparing for a dry period.
Prevention is always better than cure. Though the Vaal Dam is overflowing at present, with sluice gates open, it was only a few months ago that it was at a critical low level.
What happens up north affects us as far as agricultural products are concerned, and I know housewives will recall last year when potato prices almost hit the R200 mark a bag.
One wonders with all the rain if the farmers have been able to work their lands in preparation for the winter crops, especially potatoes.
We are after all a slap-chip-loving nation and what is that Sunday lunch without a crispy roast potato.
This week in history:
1977 Floods reported in Despatch as well as Uitenhage/Kariega
Dam Levels
71.24% down from 71.58% the previous week. Impofu was slightly down at 54.28%
Weather Safety Tips:
Driving in fog is of the most dangerous driving conditions that you will experience.
The thicker the fog the more compromised are your perceptions of depth and distance. Add to that reduced visibility and your chances of an accident are increased.
Avoid driving in foggy conditions as far as possible.
Now on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: WEATHER GURU
Email: info@wgawx.co.za with feedback or requests
Weekender
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