As the howling southeaster blasts down the Fish Hoek valley, bending trees nearly horizontal and sending swirling sandstorms ripping through hapless pedestrians on their way home from work along the road to Kommetjie, one might be forgiven for thinking this is Spring and not Autumn, November and not May. The seasons have certainly turned upside down here at the tip of Africa, and our weather forecasters must be working day and night to give us a semblance of fact as conditions change by the minute.
The best way to judge what to wear is to look out of the window when you wake up. If it's a southeaster, you may spot cloud racing along the mountain tops, looking for all the world like dragons hell-bent on catching whatever they eat. Then you know it most likely won't rain, will be cold in the shade and blazing hot in the sun in sheltered spots.
If it's a northwester, you may spot cloud racing along the mountain tops, but it will be more of a falling waterfall type of cloud, condensing and evaporating at will. It most likely still won't rain, will be cold in the shade and blazing hot in sheltered spots.
The other regular wind we get here in Cape Town is the southwester, which brings icy air from the south Atlantic, very heavy rain from isolated clouds and allows you to plan your outdoor activities in a most civilised way, as you can judge how long it will be before the next rain shower, or whether it will pass you by and rain on the neighbour. This type of rain has become the norm in winter, whereas in past years we relied on the northwester with its gentle cyclonic rain.
The job of weatherman must be one of the most frustrating, unless of course you are like most of us and just expect every season in one day! '
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