GARDEN ROUTE | HESSEQUA | KAROO NEWS - The Cape Town Weather Office has issued two severe weather alerts - one for veld fire conditions and one for damaging winds. 

According to the Garden Route District Municipality's Disaster Management Manager Gerhard Otto, a concerned warning from the Cape Town Weather Office has indicated a weather system is brewing that is not dissimilar to the one that preceded the 2017 Knysna/Bitou fires.

The former alert has been issued for the Central Karoo and Garden Route, with GRDM spokesperson Marilia Veldkornet warning that "whenever there are prolonged periods of little and no rain coupled with warm dry winds, veld or bush fires can easily be sparked and will spread rapidly in strong winds".

These veld fire warnings are coupled with warnings of strong interior winds (50 to 70km/h) which are expected over the Central Karoo and the Garden Route.

The South African Weather Services has advised the centre of an intense cold front, with “an associated cut off low”, resulting in strong to gale force coastal and interior winds, heavy rain, very cold conditions and rough seas.

"It is predicted that wind speed will calm down during Tuesday night, but it will be even stronger on Wednesday as well as Thursday this week."

Very rough seas are expected from Wednesday morning, with wave heights of 4m to 5m, reaching 6m to 7m between Cape Columbine and Cape Agulhas.

Significant rainfall is also expected from Wednesday, and fairly cold temperatures.

Residents are reminded to please ensure that they remove any potential blockages around their homes to limit the risk of localised flooding.

For weather-related emergencies, the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre can be contacted at 021 480 7700 from a cellphone or 107 from a landline.

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