Residents of Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, were left in awe as they witnessed the city’s first snowfall in over a decade on Monday. This rare occurrence provided an enchanting spectacle for the citizens, with some children experiencing the magic of snow for the very first time.
Johannesburg had its last encounter with snow in August 2012. While parts of South Africa are accustomed to seasonal snowfall during the southern hemisphere’s winter months, from June to August, it remains a rare phenomenon for Johannesburg.
Local resident, Jennifer Banda, shared her excitement with the Reuters news agency as she had her photograph taken at the Nelson Mandela Square in the financial district. She recollected being pregnant during the city’s last snowfall eleven years ago. “It’s exciting that we have snow,” she expressed, reflecting the general sentiment of the city’s inhabitants.
Social media was soon buzzing with Johannesburg locals sharing their delight and surprise at the snowfall, using words such as “pure magic”, “hectic”, and a “wonderful start to the week” to describe their experiences.
Jennifer Fitchett, a Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Witwatersrand, spoke to South Africa’s Times newspaper about the rare event. She explained that the snowfall, which was unlikely to last, had resulted from a surge in humidity, coupled with cold temperatures and a chilling wind. “It happens once every 10 years or so,” she said, “We’re not an area that has a lot of snowfall and that’s partly because in winter we have dry conditions.”
The University of the Witwatersrand’s Climatology Professor, Francois Engelbrecht, concurred with Fitchett’s observations while speaking to the Daily Maverick news website. He stated that on average, Johannesburg sees snow once every five years, with heavier snowfall like Monday’s occurring once every 10 to 20 years.
However, Wayne Venter, a meteorologist from the South African Weather Service, clarified to the Daily Maverick that the snowfall’s conditions were not exceptional and did not suggest a direct correlation to climate change. The South African Weather Service has issued warnings due to the cold front striking Gauteng province, which is home to Johannesburg and the country’s capital, Pretoria.
Monday also saw snowfall in the coal belt of the Mpumalanga province, the location of many power stations owned by the beleaguered utility provider, Eskom. Despite the winter chill, South Africans remain enchanted by the rare snowy spectacle, even as meteorologists continue to monitor the weather conditions closely.
Image Credit: AFP
