AlgoaFM News
Nelson Mandela Bay and surrounds woke to stormy conditions on Saturday with strong winds, rain and ice pellets in places.
Weather Office spokesperson Garth Sampson says that although the wind was strong and damaging, the 57 knot gusts were well short of the record of 75 knots (138.9 km/h)
Sampson says Nelson Mandela Bay's main catchment area in the Langkloof also enjoyed some good rain over the past two days.
The Churchill, Kouga, Loerie and Groendal have all profited from the August rains and the falls of the past 48 hours are expected to improve the run-off into these dams even further.
For the 48-hour period up until 08h00 on Saturday, Kareedouw had received a significant 40.4 mm and Joubertina 30.6 mm.
In the Metro itself, 22.8 mm was measured at the airport and 29 mm at 3rd avenue dip in Newton Park where the Baakens River has been flowing strongly in recent days.
Elsewhere, Cape St Francis received 24.8 mm and further inland, Addo had a welcome 10.8 mm.
Sampson says conditions are expected to clear from the west overnight with temperatures remaining cold.
According to the latest figures released by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality on Friday 19 August, the Churchill dam is inching closer to 20% of capacity and was at 19.97%.
The Impofu, further downstream, was at just 9.97% - it relies on overflow from the Churchill.
The Kouga was at 16.75% and the nearby Loerie (which is a smaller holding dam) was at 57.4%
The Groendal Dam, which serves the Kariega area, was at 20.55% for a total combined capacity of Nelson Mandela Bay's main supply dams of 15.2%
