Be prepared to sweat for a while longer

While isolated showers over parts of Gauteng are expected to bring relief after three days of extreme heat, forecasters expect the heatwave conditions to persist until next weekend in some parts.

SA Weather forecaster Thabo Ragoro said isolated thundershowers and showers were forecast for parts of the interior today, but it would be a dry weekend, with showers expected next week.

“From Sunday, we are expecting isolated thundershowers and showers going into Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,” he said.

Isolated showers from Sunday

Ragoro said there were, however, no severe thunderstorm warnings yet.

Vox Weather meteorologist Michelle du Plessis said the heatwave was expected to persist until the weekend with high temperatures expected over Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, extreme eastern parts of the North West, and the northern and north-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

Du Plessis said extremely hot and uncomfortable conditions could be expected in the Lowveld of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, the Bushveld and the Valley of Limpopo until Saturday.

ALSO READ: Severe thunderstorms in Mpumalanga, heat wave continues and high fire danger

“There are some thunderstorms possible in the areas where the heatwave continues, with scattered thunderstorms in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, where the weather service warns of severe thunderstorms,” she said.

Another cold front was expected to move through the Western Cape with rain today.

“It is also much cooler in KZN today, with rain showers possible in KZN and the escarpment of Mpumalanga. Tomorrow will be much cooler in parts of Mpumalanga due to a cooler onshore flow of air behind today’s cold front, with rain showers possible in Mpumalanga and Limpopo.”

Western Cape cold front

Du Plessis said on Sunday and Monday, scattered rain and thundershowers were again possible over north-eastern South Africa, including Gauteng while the Highveld would remain warm.

“Next week’s rain chances look better with a forecasted 15mm20mm rainfall possible in Gauteng and surrounding areas.”

Du Plessis said heatwave conditions were expected to persist in Gauteng, North West, western Highveld of Mpumalanga and the northern regions of the Free State until next Friday; in Limpopo and the Lowveld and Escarpment of Mpumalanga until tomorrow, as well as over eastern Highveld of Mpumalanga, extreme western parts of KwaZulu-Natal, central and southern parts of Free State, extreme northern parts of Eastern Cape and the extreme eastern regions of the Northern next week.

NOW READ: Severe thunderstorms and extreme heat, with risks of flooding, hail, damaging winds and fire dangers