Snow Patrol!
The arrival of snow isn’t an everyday occurrence for most of South Africa.
As we find ourselves back in snow season, we sat down with Vox Meteorologist Michelle du Plessis to give us the lowdown on how snow is formed.
And it turns out that, for snow to fall and reach the ground, three main weather conditions must come together.
Cold air from top to bottom: The air must be below freezing (0 °C) all the way from the clouds to the ground. If there’s a warmer layer in between, the snow will melt and fall as rain or sleet. Ideal snow forms in clouds where temperatures are between -10 °C and -20 °C.
Enough moisture in the air: Cold air alone isn’t enough – you also need moisture so that water vapour can form ice crystals. Dry air, even if freezing, won’t produce snow.
Something to lift the air: Snow usually forms when air is forced to rise, cool, and condense. This can happen with cold fronts, low-pressure systems like cut-off lows, or when air is pushed up over mountains.
Gauteng’s last snowfall: July 2023…
In July 2023, Gauteng experienced rare snowfall – something locals hadn’t seen in over a decade (before 2023 it snowed in 2012 and 1996). While light snow sometimes falls in the province, heavier events like this happen only once every 10 to 20 years. So yes, it was unusual, but not unheard of.
The July 2023 cold snap wasn’t driven by climate change – instead, it was the result of a powerful cold front that swept across the entire country and extended into our neighbouring countries – supported by a steep upper-air trough, pushing icy air far north.
Looking ahead to winter 2025…
We find that the odds of another snowfall in Gauteng remain low. Climate trends suggest snow in the region will become even rarer in future. That said, nature still has surprises.
If the right weather patterns align—such as a strong cold front or cut-off low pressure system – we could see isolated snow again. But it would remain the exception, not the rule.
