[imagesource:x/@KokoNdhlovu]

At this stage in the year, we’ve all shoved our woolly bits to the back of the closet and put our slops and spaghetti tops on the reachable shelves because it’s supposed to be summer – spring at least.

Except it was bloody well snowing in parts of the Eastern Cape on Tuesday.

The areas that got a nice white-out included the snow-prone mountainous route of Lootsberg Pass on the N9 between Middelburg and Graaff-Reinet (Karoo towns), the Wapadsberg Pass, as well as the N9, between Graaff-Reinet and Nxuba (formerly Cradock).

Eastern Cape Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said “This curious phenomenon of snowfall in November adds another damage to already challenging driving conditions in the Eastern Cape, as most areas are affected by heavy rains that have led to slippery conditions as well as poor visibility.”

He said authorities were monitoring the routes and would close them if snowfall worsens. The Lootsberg Road has been reopened to traffic after a temporary closure earlier on Tuesday.

Looks like some Saffas will get a bit of a white Christmas:

Lona iZwe liyaphenduka….. Life as we know it has ended, we unable to grasp what has taken place. Faced with the most ordinary occurrence, one does not know how to act. The age of Nature, lest we cheat God ….🇿🇦. #SnowinNovember #ClimateChange pic.twitter.com/FRKX0BB2aA

— Portia Ndhlovu (@KokoNdhlovu) November 5, 2024

Our new normal in Spring 🥶 Eastern Cape – N9 Route (Update): #SNOW at Lootsberg pass – ROAD CLOSED Graaff-Reinet / Middelburg
pic.twitter.com/2F5rGM4JCQ

— ✖️e k i (@XekiHlongwane) November 5, 2024

KwaZulu-Natal, too, has been suffering from strange weather. A level 5 storm hit on Monday with heavy winds, rain and lightning claiming at least one life in the Mpofana municipality. While the storm abated on Tuesday, several cars were damaged when a bridge on the N2 south near Amanzimtoti collapsed after heavy rains.

Meanwhile, Gauteng is in the grip of a heatwave, with maximum temperatures around the 30°C mark.

If you still aren’t convinced, this is what climatic change looks like.

[source:timeslive]