********* GLOBAL WARMING ALERT ***********
Rare snowfall across South Africa
Wed Aug 2, 2:00 PM ET
Snow fell on South Africa's biggest city Johannesburg for the first time in 25 years as icy temperatures gripped vast swathes of the country, the weather office said.
"It (the snow) is by no means freakish but I would certainly classify it as rare," said Kevin Rae, assistant manager of forecasting at the South African Weather Service in Pretoria.
Forecasters said snow was reported in the southern Johannesburg township of Soweto and the posh northern suburb of Sandton, as well as the nearby towns of Carletonville and Westonaria.
Johannesburg last had snow on September 11, 1981.
"Sleet has been recorded occasionally since then, but never snow," added climatologist Tracey Gill.
Bloemfontein, the capital of the central Free State province, got its first snow in 12 years, receiving 13 centimetres (5.2 inches).
Comparable widespread snow across the country ha
2006-08-03
08:01:57
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