NATIONAL – Friday, 4 June. SA Weather Service (SAWS) Alert

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a ‘level 1 warning’ for damaging waves valid from Friday 4 June until Saturday 5 June between Cape Columbine and Plettenberg Bay from Friday evening into Saturday Morning.These waves may pose a danger to rock anglers and public on low lying rocks along the shoreline.A very high wave period of 18 to 20 seconds with wave heights of 3 to 3.5 meters are expected. The swell will be predominantly Southerly to South Westerly and are expected between Table Bay and Plettenberg Bay from Friday evening into Saturday morning.In addition, the experimental SAWS rip current forecast system, the result of extensive collaboration between various partners*, indicates a high likelihood of strong rip currents around the Cape Peninsula from late Friday into Saturday.'* A partnership between Stellenbosch University, the NSRI, South African Weather Service, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South African Environment Observation Network, City of Cape Town, Lifesaving South Africa and the University of Plymouth has yielded an experimental rip current forecasting system. It is envisaged that his system will go live, producing routine forecasts for a pilot site, towards the end of 2021.Caution around the coast is advised during this time.