Bring it on!

[Buckman]

I think many people are wishing for global, warming! It is spring and normally the lowest temperature is about 10C during the night with daytime reaching +20C. This is Kwazulu Natal today. People have been stuck in cars for 12 hours on the motorway and they are totally unprepared for this type of weather as it never happens.

 

[otherclive]

Was there no weather forecast to forewarn people. Or is it like here in that many just ignore it and set out unprepared for the forecast conditions.

 

[Jcloughie]

I think many people are wishing for global, warming! It is spring and normally the lowest temperature is about 10C during the night with daytime reaching +20C. This is Kwazulu Natal today. People have been stuck in cars for 12 hours on the motorway and they are totally unprepared for this type of weather as it never happens.

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That’s a wow from me.

 

[Devonisheaven]

There is quite a difference from one side of KZN to the other, especially as you approach Free State, Lesotho and the Drackensberg, but that is exceptional for sure.

 

[borderbilly]

Was there no weather forecast to forewarn people. Or is it like here in that many just ignore it and set out unprepared for the forecast conditions.

Maybe it was Michael Fish who did the forecast 🤔

 

[Buckman]

Was there no weather forecast to forewarn people. Or is it like here in that many just ignore it and set out unprepared for the forecast conditions.

It was forecast last week, but no one expected it to be so severe as it is spring there with day temperatures normally close to the twenties.

There is quite a difference from one side of KZN to the other, especially as you approach Free State, Lesotho and the Drackensberg, but that is exceptional for sure.

Van Reenens pass normally closes temporary during some winters for a few hours, but you never see snow lower down. It is normally t shirt weather now. We lived in Newcastle , KZN for awhile and during the winter it got bitterly cold, but no snow etc.

 

[Dustydog]

Can the wildlife cope?

 

[borderbilly]

Can the wildlife cope?

Well they look to be sitting in their vehicles.

 

[Guzzilazz]

Weather (as a sailing instructor) is my thing. The weather systems are generated by the oceans, where the hotter southern (in the Northern hemisphere) drive rising air and low pressure. The air that rises then flows to the North and drops down over the cooler ocean further North , with another similar circulation starting north of that until you get to the pole. This year the previous record North Atlantic ocean temperature was broken in June (records are normally broken in September) by 1.5 deg Celsius. Put simply that 1.5 rise is putting much more energy into that huge body of water, and so we saw a hurricane in the Caribbean way earlier than th normal season (August to November).
More energy in weather systems mean more storms (like the thunderstorms in the UK over the last few days

 

[Steve1962]

T shirt weather for a northerner…….

 

[Buckman]

Weather (as a sailing instructor) is my thing. The weather systems are generated by the oceans, where the hotter southern (in the Northern hemisphere) drive rising air and low pressure. The air that rises then flows to the North and drops down over the cooler ocean further North , with another similar circulation starting north of that until you get to the pole. This year the previous record North Atlantic ocean temperature was broken in June (records are normally broken in September) by 1.5 deg Celsius. Put simply that 1.5 rise is putting much more energy into that huge body of water, and so we saw a hurricane in the Caribbean way earlier than th normal season (August to November).
More energy in weather systems mean more storms (like the thunderstorms in the UK over the last few days

What thunderstorms? All we have had is a little drizzle here in Worcester, but mostly sun.

Can the wildlife cope?

Not sure as it will affect many species like monkeys, baboons, tortoises etc plus kill a lot of insects which are the staple diet of animals like anteaters etc.

Well they look to be sitting in their vehicles.

Sadly we know of one person that has already died and they were in a stationary vehicle. Obviously there will probably be others.

 

[Beachball]

Also no thunderstorms here and we are near Louth we have had very warm and sunny days .

 

[GaryB]

Thunderstorms started here yesterday afternoon and recommenced this morning. Still raining but thunder now stopped (Leicestershire)

 

[otherclive]

Stopped off at Towcester Waitrose for sandwiches and comfort break. The large concrete water course that runs adjacent to the car park was empty last week. Today it was gushing down and the Waitrose car park presented some difficulty to pedestrians.

 

[Dustydog]

How long will the freezing weather last at Kwazulu Natal ?

 

[Buckman]

How long will the freezing weather last at Kwazulu Natal ?

They have no idea at present as it is very un-seasonal and a first time.

 

[Devonisheaven]

T shirt weather for a northerner…….

You’re north of Exeter! 😳

 

[Bluetonic]

Thunderstorms started here yesterday afternoon and recommenced this morning. Still raining but thunder now stopped (Leicestershire)

Yeah, it was amazing to see the storm front move in. We were sitting outside a beer tent at Great Central Railway enjoying the beer festival, and then treated to the most amazing light display in the sky

 

[borderbilly]

Lovely and dry up here in the borders, who said it always rains in Scotland?

 

[Hutch]

Stopped off at Towcester Waitrose for sandwiches and comfort break. The large concrete water course that runs adjacent to the car park was empty last week. Today it was gushing down and the Waitrose car park presented some difficulty to pedestrians.

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Clive you probably drove down here last week, It's the A421 between Bedford and Milton Keynes. . Marston Mortein

 

[otherclive]

Clive you probably drove down here last week, It's the A421 between Bedford and Milton Keynes. . Marston Mortein

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That’s incredible, hard to believe it’s a road.

Didn’t return that way, came Wisbech, Peterborough, Northampton, Towcester, Oxford, Swindon. My “old” caravan route. What I couldn’t help but notice was the plethora of signs directing to Milton Keynes around Northampton and right down until I came down off the M40(S) and then towards Oxford. Clearly MK trying to drum up visitor numbers for the islands. 😂

 

[Hutch]

That’s incredible, hard to believe it’s a road.

Didn’t return that way, came Wisbech, Peterborough, Northampton, Towcester, Oxford, Swindon. My “old” caravan route. What I couldn’t help but notice was the plethora of signs directing to Milton Keynes around Northampton and right down until I came down off the M40(S) and then towards Oxford. Clearly MK trying to drum up visitor numbers for the islands. 😂

Yes like in France , all roads point to Paris.
Slightly better picture, my car is the white one coming off of the slip road top right.

 

[otherclive]

Yes like in France , all roads point to Paris.
Slightly better picture, my car is the white one coming off of the slip road top right.

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You were fortunate that the slip road was still passable even with a higher ride height vehicle.

 

[Hutch]

You were fortunate that the slip road was still passable even with a higher ride height vehicle.

No I was coming round the roundabout, from the left to go off to the top right. and parked up to rubber neck.
Submerged car bottom right of the photo.

 

[toad a caravan]

I thinking of getting a narrow boat with a wood burning stove ...may be an ideal way of coping with our summers,,😁.