Big swells hit the coast at Bloiuberg on July 08, 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. It is reported that the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has further upgraded its initial warning from Yellow Level 4 to Yellow Level 6 for disruptive rain. (Photo: Gallo Images / Misha Jordaan) 
The country is in the grips of several kinds of disruptive July weather, including snow in the Eastern and Northern Cape while the Western Cape has been hit by flooding and is bracing for yet another cold front, and high swell warnings have been issued in KwaZulu-Natal.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) told Daily Maverick on Tuesday the main alerts for the country were for disruptive rainfall and damaging interior winds. “Along our coastal areas, damaging winds and waves can be expected together with storm surge alerts,” said Celeste Fourie from the National Forecasting Centre.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ED_511781.jpg "Huge waves smashing against the breakwater in Thre Anchor Bay caused foam on July 08, 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo:Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ED_511792.jpg "Huge waves smashing against the breakwater in Thre Anchor Bay caused foam on July 08, 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)")
The Liesbeek, Lotus and Eerste rivers have burst their banks in Cape Town, with severe flooding reported on some roads in parts of the city.
The Liesbeek, Lotus and Eerste Rivers have all begun to burst their banks.
Please stay away from fast flowing water and immediately report any life threatening situations to the City’s emergency call centre. @CityofCT pic.twitter.com/DtyCYI8W4F
— Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) July 9, 2024
Another cold front is approaching the country, which is expected to make landfall early on Thursday, with isolated to scattered frontal showers and rain expected.
KZN also has weather warnings – for high fire danger in the northern parts of the province. Along the coast, warnings of high waves with possible disruptions to ports and difficulties in navigation were issued for Durban and Port Shepstone.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/OD-LISAKANYA-CPT-WEATHER2.jpg "Parts of Cape Town continue to be flooded on Tuesday 9 July following the weekend rainfall. At the Cape Town station deck, small businesses surrounded by floods struggle to stay afloat . (Photo: Lisakanya Venna)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/OD-LISAKANYA-CPT-WEATHER3.jpg "Parts of Cape Town continue to be flooded on Tuesday 9 July following the weekend rainfall. At the Cape Town station deck, people have to jump to avoid puddles of water. (Photo: Lisakanya Venna)")
Daily Maverick has reported on wild weather across the country over the past few days, including snow, damaging winds and rainfall which has affected several communities across provinces including the Northern and Western Cape.
Read: Winter wallop — Barrage of fronts bring cold, wet, snowy conditions on heels of storm havoc
Thousands left homeless in Western Cape as gale-force winds and torrential rain wreak havoc
In Cape Town, flooding has been reported across the metropole. Affected areas include parts of Khayelitsha, Joe Slovo Park in Milnerton, Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, Nomzamo in Strand, Mfuleni, Driftsands, Masiphumelele, Dunoon and Gugulethu.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1-1.jpg "A warning was sent out on the Deep South WhatsApp group about flooding on Ou Kaapse Weg in Cape Town, at the Noordhoek/Silvermine turnoff, on 9 July 2024. (Photo: Deep South Whatsapp Group)")
The rain has affected healthcare services – the Philippi Clinic closed due to flooding and the Weltevreden Clinic is closed owing to roof damage and flooding.
The adverse weather conditions have seen road closures such as the R44 between Rooi Els and Gordon’s Bay in the Overberg region and the Swartberg Pass on the Garden Route.
There has been snow in the Eastern Cape too, in places such as Nieu-Bethesda.
There were more warnings in other parts of the Eastern Cape for snow disruptions and cold weather – which the weather service said could lead to hypothermia – in areas such as Cofimvaba, Matatiele and Engcobo. DM