Rare snowfall occurs in South Africa and cold front sweeps across country

Snow and sleet have greeted residents of Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city, for the first time in more than a decade, as a cold front sweeps across the country, BBC reports.

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has advised people to keep warm during the cold weather, although no major disruptions have been reported due to the snowfall. The wintry conditions are expected to persist throughout the week.

The sight of snow in Johannesburg has left many residents enchanted, with some describing it as a rare and beautiful phenomenon. Snow has also been observed in other provinces, including the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng.

Meteorologists are closely monitoring the situation as winter begins in the southern hemisphere. The Eastern Cape initiation schools have been urged to be vigilant as they oversee traditional circumcision rituals for teenage boys in isolated mountain areas.

Farmers have been advised to provide shelter for their livestock. The influence of climate change on the rare snowfall remains unclear.