South Africa and Lesotho have just had the first major cold front and cut-off low for winter 2026 pass through.
AMRF’s weather station at Letšeng Lesotho (in the Maloti-Drakensberg at 3162 m) recorded -13oC windchill on Wednesday evening 6th May 2026, with -14oC windchill at 20h00 GMT+2 on Thursday evening 7th May 2026. Max temperature at the same time was -4.1oC. Widespread snow was evident visually across the northern Maloti-Drakensberg, especially in the QwaQwa Maloti (Free State, South Africa).
The AMRF-ARU Weather stations at Witsieshoek clocked winds of up to 122ckm/hr at 2,600 m as the front went through. Clear skies tonight are expected to plunge temperatures further, cold enhanced by widespread snow across the central east and west of South Africa and across Lesotho, plus wet ground at lower elevations.