• Early snow forecasts for Gauteng and North West have been dropped, with snow now expected in parts of the Eastern Cape and Lesotho.

• KwaZulu-Natal is bracing for heavy rain and possible flooding, with a level 2 weather warning issued for the weekend.

Gauteng residents hoping for a rare winter snowfall will have to keep waiting. The latest weather reports say no snow is expected for the province this week.

Excitement grew on social media after early forecasts showed a chance of snow over Gauteng, North West and the Highveld. But weather experts now say conditions have changed.

Vox Weather says snow only happens when everything lines up perfectly: rain, freezing air and the right weather system. If one thing shifts, the snow disappears.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

That's exactly what happened this week. The snow that was first predicted for inland areas is now expected to fall over parts of the Eastern Cape, Lesotho, the southern Free State and other high mountain regions.

The last time Johannesburg saw snow was on 10 July 2023. Since then, two more forecasts raised hopes, but nothing came of them. Many had hoped this would be "third time lucky", but the snow has once again missed Gauteng.

A cold front is expected to move in on Friday, bringing colder and wetter weather to southern parts of the country over the weekend.

KwaZulu-Natal is also in for a stormy few days. The South African Weather Service has issued a yellow level 2 warning for disruptive rain in the province. The heavy rain could cause flooding, slippery roads and car accidents, especially in informal settlements and low-lying areas.

So while Gauteng stays cold and dry, other parts of South Africa are bracing for snow, rain and rough weather this winter.