Gauteng residents warned to brace for scorching heatwave this weekend

Gauteng residents have been warned to brace for a heatwave across several parts of the province.

Regional weather forecaster Gauteng Weather forecasts that the fourth heatwave will last at least until the weekend.

“Alert: fourth heatwave of the season in Gauteng until at least Saturday,” it said in a post on X.

The weather has fluctuated between hot and cool conditions for the past few weeks, but the extreme heat has raised the irritability factor as temperatures soar to the high thirties.

Heatwave  

Residents can expect very hot weather in the extreme north; otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and hot, with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the east.

The region’s expected UVB sunburn index is “very high.”

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Temperatures

Johannesburg’s temperatures are forecast to start off at a minimum of 19°C, become very hot, and reach a high of 33°C.

Pretoria is also expected to be hot, with scorching temperatures starting at a minimum of 21°C, becoming very hot, and reaching a high of 35°C.

Temperatures in Vereeniging are forecast to start off at a minimum of 18°C, become very hot, and reach a high of 34°C.

Stay out of the sun

City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi has urged residents to exercise extreme caution during the scorching heatwave.

“Extremely hot temperatures expected in most parts of the City of Johannesburg. Residents are urged to stay hydrated, drink lots of water, and try and avoid direct sunlight, especially between 11am and 3pm in the afternoon.

“Those who are working directly in sunlight take regular breaks and drink lots of water,” Mulaudzi said.

Mulaudzi said exposure to extremely hot temperatures can cause heat exhaustion and heat cramps, which might lead to heat stroke.

Scorching weather

The heatwave with persistently high temperatures is also expected in places over the Mpumalanga and Limpopo Lowveld as well as the Limpopo Valley until Sunday, but until at least Saturday over the western Bushveld of Limpopo

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms leading to damaging winds, hail, localised flooding in formal and informal (settlements) and damage to infrastructure and property over most parts of the interior of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) the Mpumalanga escarpment, and the northeastern parts of the Eastern Cape.

Saws also warned of extremely high fire danger conditions expected in places over the eastern parts of the Northern Cape.

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