The first snowfall in more than ten years shocked Johannesburg residents on Monday, as some children experienced snow for the first time.
Johannesburg last saw snow in August 2012, but other parts of South Africa frequently get snow throughout the southern hemisphere winter months of June to August.
Jennifer Banda revealed to Reuters that she was pregnant the last time it snowed after having her photo taken on Nelson Mandela Square in the business area.
On social media Johannesburg residents described the snow as “pure magic”, “hectic” and a “wonderful start to the week”.
University of Witwatersrand professor of physical geography Jennifer Fitchett told South Africa’s Times newspaper that the snow was unlikely to last, and had been caused by a surge in humidity, cold temperatures and a cold wind.
A man leads a horse as snow falls in Delta Park, Johannesburg. Photograph: Wikus de Wet/AFP/Getty Images
“It happens once every 10 years or so. We’re not an area that has a lot of snowfall and that’s partly because in winter we have dry conditions. We’ve got a strong, high pressure cell which is why we don’t have any or very little rain in winter months. And so don’t have much moisture in the air.”
It last snowed in 2012 and before that 2007, she said.
Snow falls in Johannesburg once every five years on average, with heavier snow like that seen on Monday occurring once every 10 to 20 years, University of the Witwatersrand climatology professor Francois Engelbrecht told the Daily Maverick news website.
South African Weather Service meteorologist Wayne Venter told the Daily Maverick the conditions were not exceptional and could not be said to be due to climate change.
South of the city in Brackenhurst, a Reuters photographer saw children making snowballs and snow angels in a school’s grounds.
But for others, like delivery driver Chenjerai Murape whose motorbike would not start, the snow made life difficult.
“I’m trying to warm the engine so that it can start … otherwise I will kick the bike all day,” he said.
The South African Weather Service has issued warnings because of the cold front that has struck Gauteng province, which contains Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria.
Snow also fell on Monday in the coal belt in Mpumalanga province, where many of struggling utility Eskom’s power stations are located.