Rain and storm for Cpt

[The_Mowgs]

If you think it is cold in CT, consider this: -12 last night on a farm in the Hanover district, with maximum temp today of 6 degree C.

I have been to different parts of Russia etc and I can relate to those temperatures. Not very enjoyable.

 

[The_Mowgs]

So is it still going to rain today?

 

[Gordon_R]

So is it still going to rain today?

Potentially 5-10mm in places near the mountain around midday today, much less than earlier predictions.

Edit: The next significant cold-front is due on Thurs 16th and Fri 17th, but rainfall numbers are still uncertain.

 

[Geoff.D]

The rain was late. It only started here in Brackenfell after 18:00. Not heavy at all, light rain at best.
Still most welcome.

 

[Gordon_R]

Very light rain yesterday, 4.5mm in our gauge in Kenilworth this morning.

Somewhat more over the mountains: 24mm on SAEON Dwarsberg up to midnight, and about the same this morning (cumulative total close to 50mm).

This will produce very limited runoff, but help with soil moisture, until the next rains...

Edit: The SAWS reports very modest rainfall in the 24 hours to 8am on Mon 13th: http://www.weathersa.co.za/media/data/climate/nr_daily_rai.pdf

Highest include Hermanus 15mm, Grabouw 10mm, Jonkershoek 10mm, Strand 10mm, Kirstenbosch 8mm, etc.

Edit: In spite of limited rainfall, the average dam levels for CT rose by 1.9% to 58.8% during the week to Mon 13th: http://www.capetown.gov.za/Family a...and-sanitation-services/this-weeks-dam-levels

 

[Geoff.D]

Nothing significant until around about Thursday evening. The mid Atlantic high is doing a great job of blocking potential systems from reaching us.

 

[Geoff.D]

I thought there are strict water restrictions in CT? Well it seems some still don't think so. Yesterday morning, in the rain, I saw a gardener at a house watering the lawn with a sprinkler and a hose. Then another guy up the road from my mom, was busy using a hose to water his newly planted lawn. And then another, very busy washing the paving down in front of his house!

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

Below-average August rainfall for Cape Town so far

Cape Town's rainfall for August has been way below average so far with some of the mountain areas that feed the city's storage dams getting less than a third of their normal rainfall.

Some areas have received only a quarter of their long-term average rainfall for August to date.

This comes after a dry July that drastically slowed down the recovery of the region's water storage dams - badly depleted after a crippling three-year drought - which had begun to fill up rapidly at the start of the 2018 winter rainfall season.

The total August rainfall recorded in some of the water catchment areas so far, with the long-term average in brackets, is: Theewaterskloof 20mm (76.7mm); Wemmershoek 46.1mm (154.5mm); Voelvlei 24.6mm (82.9mm); Steenbras 34mm (123.2mm) and Woodhead Dam on Table Mountain 48.1mm (213.5mm).

The total level of dams that supply Cape Town and surrounding farmers was 58.8% of storage capacity on Monday.

This is higher than the 31.9% these dams were at the same time last year, but still way below the 85% required by the national government before they will allow Cape Town and surrounding agricultural areas to do away with severe water restrictions.

Some other rainfall figures recorded in Cape Town for August so far are: Newlands 53.2mm (compared to the long-term average of 243.6mm); Tygerberg 29mm (81.2mm); Wynberg 50.2mm (192.9mm) and Brooklands 40.5mm (140.7mm).

Capetonians, farmers and the authorities were hoping that the good rainfall in early winter would continue and break the dry cycle. But, while there has been some relief, the authorities say Cape Town residents will have to stick to the limit of 50 litres of water a person a day for the near future.

 

[Nerfherder]

I thought there are strict water restrictions in CT? Well it seems some still don't think so. Yesterday morning, in the rain, I saw a gardener at a house watering the lawn with a sprinkler and a hose. Then another guy up the road from my mom, was busy using a hose to water his newly planted lawn. And then another, very busy washing the paving down in front of his house!

Highly likely someone using the excess water in their tank before the the next rain comes

 

[The_Mowgs]

Nothing significant until around about Thursday evening. The mid Atlantic high is doing a great job of blocking potential systems from reaching us.

I was meaning to ask you fir clarity regarding this type of situation. Would you care to explain, in simple terms, why is it that say for example on Sunday it shows it will rain 39mm on Thursday but as the week goes on it becomes less and less untill there is no rain.

What is happening to that rain? Why is it disappearing?

 

[noxibox]

I thought there are strict water restrictions in CT? Well it seems some still don't think so. Yesterday morning, in the rain, I saw a gardener at a house watering the lawn with a sprinkler and a hose. Then another guy up the road from my mom, was busy using a hose to water his newly planted lawn. And then another, very busy washing the paving down in front of his house!

That won't be flagged unless use goes over 6kl or someone reports it. A single person could use 200l or couple could use 100l each per day without anyone noticing, because the city assumes four people per household. The other possibilities are that they're using underground water or rainwater. They could also be below their 50l per day limit and using their allocation as they see fit, which is quite reasonable.

 

[Geoff.D]

Yes I quite understand that some may decide that they are entitled to use their allocation as they see fit. And that others could decide to use their harvested water in the same way. But, according to my understanding of the current regs in place, use of hosepipes is banned regardless, as well as where is the sense in watering the garden when it is actually raining?

At the same time, I can also appreciate why people want to save their gardens. Gardens come with plenty of outlay in cash and time.

 

[cenredash]

Yes I quite understand that some may decide that they are entitled to use their allocation as they see fit. And that others could decide to use their harvested water in the same way. But, according to my understanding of the current regs in place, use of hosepipes is banned regardless, as well as where is the sense in watering the garden when it is actually raining?

At the same time, I can also appreciate why people want to save their gardens. Gardens come with plenty of outlay in cash and time.

Using a garden hose... from municipal sources.

Can't blanket ban the use of garden hoses.

 

[Tinuva]

Using a garden hose... from municipal sources.

Can't blanket ban the use of garden hoses.

Yeah I agree. I wish my jojo pump made a louder noise so that people can hear it from the street, so that they know its not municipal water in use.

 

[Gordon_R]

Posts missing:

26.5mm rainfall in Kenilworth up to 6.30pm on Thurs 16th.

Edit: The next significant cold front is due to hit CT on Sat 25th.

 

[The_Right_Honourable_Brit]

Had some unexpected rain on Sunday night.

 

[Gordon_R]

The rain on Sunday night was predicted, but was not a lot, so I didn't mention it.

The upcoming front on Sat 25th and Sun 26th looks a lot more substantial, with widespread rain, and heavy snow possible.

This upcoming mountain bike event is likely to be affected: 26 August: Elgin Valley MTB

 

[The_Mowgs]

I had more rain in the Northern Suburbs last night than I had on Thursday.

 

[Gordon_R]

Average CT dam levels just reached 60.1% this morning! See: http://www.capetown.gov.za/Family a...and-sanitation-services/this-weeks-dam-levels

 

[Gordon_R]

In case anyone hasn't noticed, a big storm will hit CT this afternoon (Sat 25th), with gale-force winds, and heavy rain. It will become very cold overnight, with widespread snow (at particularly low elevations) early tomorrow (Sun 26th).

SAWS warning:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1032564368301539328

Expect further updates...