• Winter officially started on 1 June, and a strong cold front is expected to hit this weekend.

• Some places will be warmer during the day, but frost and very cold nights are likely.

South Africa is now in winter, and people are already feeling the cold.

Two cold fronts are moving across the country. The first has already hit, and a second, stronger one is coming this Saturday.

Meteorologist Annette Botha from Vox Weather said winter starts on 1 June, not 21 June, like many people think.

Gusty winds will blow across the country before the next cold front moves in over the Western Cape.

Another Vox Weather expert, Michelle du Plessis, explained that there are two ways to track seasons. One follows the calendar, the other follows the movement of the Earth around the sun, Citizen reported.

Even though it's getting cold now, she said most of this winter will be warmer than usual.

But many areas will still feel freezing at night, especially places like Gauteng, the Free State and the Highveld. These places often get frost and wet soil from earlier rain, which can make things even colder after sunset.

"The wet ground loses heat faster at night," she said. "So even if the days are warm, the nights can be very cold."

There will still be icy mornings, even during a warmer winter.

The South African Weather Service says the El Niño weather pattern is now neutral. That means it's not making the weather hotter or colder.

Rain is expected to be lower than normal along the southern and eastern coasts.

Overall, expect warmer days, cold nights, and a few freezing cold snaps.