A yellow level 1 warning for damaging waves has been issued between Cape Point and Port Alfred on Wednesday, subsiding west of Plettenberg Bay in the afternoon.
The weather service expects a disruption of beachfront activities and small vessels at risk of taking on water and capsising.Over the weekend, waves up to 9.5 metres affected more than 50% of the South African coast. This resulted in damage to buildings, swept away vehicles, beach erosion, multiple injuries and two deaths.
According to the weather service, maximum observed wave heights were 9.5 metre along the south coast, while the east coast reported wave heights of 5.0 to 7.0 metre.“Winter is not yet over in the Western Cape. While residents have been looking forward to a spring season, the province has continued to experience cold, wet and windy conditions from a series of cold fronts moving through the area,” it said.
“Conducive weather conditions colliding along with a spring tide event resulted in positive storm surge effects experienced along the South African coastline which wreaked havoc to coastal areas over the past weekend. A combination of the high waves, spring tide, and conducive wind conditions resulted in positive storm surge with its effects experienced along the coast at various locations.”