Snow fell in Johannesburg this week for the first time in more than a decade, leaving many people excited to see the winter wonderland.
South African Weather Service confirmed on Monday The snow was falling in the Gauteng region, which includes Johannesburg. Snow was also reported in the Eastern Cape.
Some parts of South Africa are used to snow during the winter months of June to August. However, the last time it snowed in Johannesburg was in 2012 and before that in 2007, Jennifer Fitchett, a professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, said the South African newspaper TimesLIVE.
It happens “once every 10 years,” Fitchett said. “We are not a region that gets a lot of snow, maybe because it is dry in the winter. We have a strong, high-speed cell, which is why we have little or no rain in the winter months.”
Conditions led to snow in many parts of the city on Monday, allowing people of all ages to take advantage of the abundance. Photos and videos on social media showed children making snow angels and snowballs in neighborhood parks and playgrounds. For others, life continued as normal.
Agnes Mideva, a primary school teacher, he told the BBC that his students soaked up the experience. “Some of my children and I went to investigate,” he said. Some of them had seen snow while others thought it was raining.
Ms Fitchett told TimesLIVE that it was not uncommon for snow to accumulate in Johannesburg, where snow melts when it hits the ground. “Our snow is usually short, just a few hours,” he said. “Usually, the snow in Johannesburg doesn’t last a day.”
Despite its scenic beauty, the snow makes it difficult to navigate and can be dangerous in less experienced areas. The The Johannesburg Roads Agency has warned Monday morning drivers to be more careful and be alert to pedestrians. “With the snow these days in Joburg, the roads are congested, and people can’t see well,” said government officials.