Niémah Davids
11 November 2008
Cape Town's Disaster Risk Management Centre is on high alert after warnings of wet and very windy conditions for the city over the next two days.
Worst hit, however, would be the Cape south coast, the Overberg, Garden Route and Breede River Valley, said forecaster Stella Nake.
Nake predicted strong south-easterly winds over Cape Town today, with a cut-off low in the upper air bringing rain associated with "black south-easter" weather.
Wind speeds of between 25 and 30 knots could be expected in Cape Town, reaching the 35-knot gale-force mark overnight, she said.
The centre's Charlotte Powell said officials were on standby in the event of a disaster over the next 48 hours.
"We received an alert from the weather office to be on guard for strong winds as well as rainfall. But we don't expect it to be too bad."
The warning was not unusual.
"We have received worse. The advisory does not indicate danger. It says there are definite chances of rain but nothing too hectic - we are preparing for strong winds though."
Powell said at this time of the year disaster management officials were on high alert for the fire season in the Western Cape.
"November is a month for wind and fires. Now we're told we can expect some rain as well," she said.
Weather forecaster Keith Moir said no bad weather had been forecast for Thursday.
"Till then it's going to be very windy and rainy," he said on Monday night.
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