Cold Front Brings Night Frost And Snow

31 Jul 2023

Namibia's weather is pressing all the buttons this winter. After exceptionally heavy winter rain at the end of June and a severe sandstorm lasting several days in mid-July, the country was hit by a cold front last weekend. 

In many parts of the country, temperatures dropped to minus values. Snow even fell in the town of Aus in southwestern Namibia. However, only on Saturday and only for one hour, as Piet Swiegers from the Desert Horse Inn reported to Namibian.org News. 

 

Snow and low clouds on Dikke Willem Mountain in the southern Namib Desert west of Aus. 
Photo (29. Juli 2023): Piet Swiegers, Desert Horse In

 

"It started to rain at 1 a.m. on Saturday and it lasted until 6 p.m.," he says. "From 9.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. the rain fell as snow. The Aus area received between 8 mm and 18 mm precipitation." 

"We had a maximum temperature of 5 degrees, but the windchill temperature was constantly between -1 and -3 degrees", Swiegers added. "On Sunday it was a bit warmer during the day, but in the night the minimum windchill temperature fell to -9.2 degrees." 

 

 

Rare sight: Snow in the southern Namib Desert west of Aus.  Photos (29. Juli 2023): Piet Swiegers, Desert Horse Inn 

 

Layer of snow on the rain gauge.  Photo (29. Juli 2023): Piet Swiegers, Desert Horse Inn 

 

A low pressure system covered southwestern Namibia with a blanket of clouds. When this coincides with a cold front with icy air from Antarctica, freezing rain or snowfall may occur. 

Even in Windhoek some cloud fields could be seen on Saturday morning. An icy wind was also blowing. 

 

Sign of a cold front: Clouds near Windhoek.  Photo (29 July 2023): Sven-Eric Stender 

 

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