Gauteng weather: New year rainbow skies to follow downpours

Clear skies were expected for the New Year after a disruptive thunderstorm moved over Gauteng over the past Christmas weekend and left a path of floods and heavy downpours.

Tshwane Emergency Services Management (EMS) spokesperson an deputy chief, Charles Mabaso, said the heavy rains left some households in Hammanskraal and Zithobeni flooded.

“The affected areas in Hammanskraal included Ramotse, Kanana, Marokolong, and Mashemong villages. On initial response, firefighters had to assist by digging trenches to channel water from the affectedhouses and assisted in moving an elderly woman from a house where the water was at knee level,” he said.

Mabaso said two adults and three children were relocated to safety at the Sebothoma Hall where they took shelter.

The EMS assessed nine incidents of flooding after the recent severe storm. On Monday the EMS assisted in rescue and recovery of a vehicle and body on the N4/N1 direction city centre.

“One car overturned during the early hours and a male was declared dead by paramedics on scene,” Mabaso said.

the department of water and sanitation opened one sluice gate at the Vaal Dam after the dam surpassed the 100% mark at 107%, following the heavy rains the past two weeks over the Vaal River system and the Orange River.

The department of water and sanitation’s spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said the department would continue to monitor the system and might open another sluice, if heavy inflow continued.

On Tuesday, Rand Water reported the Vaal dam was 107.6% full, followed by the Sterkfontein Dam at 110.8% capacity, the Bloemhof Dam at 103.1%, and Grootdraai Dam at 102.9%.

South African Weather Service forecaster Kgolofelo Mahlangu said Gauteng could expect mostly clear skies for the rest of the week, with afternoon thunderstorms expected in the evening here and there.

“On Thursday and Friday 30% chance of thunderstorms are expected in the afternoon in Gauteng,” Mahlangu said.

She said clear skies were forecasted for New Year’s Day with a 30% chance of rain expected in the afternoon. No new weather warnings were issued for the rest of the week for Gauteng.

On Boxing Day, the highest rainfall in Johannesburg was recorded at 16 millimeters in Bronkhorstspruit, which recorded double the following day with 31 millimeters on 27 December.

Forecaster at the South African Weather Service, Bramsby Bulo said Warmbaths got 51mm rainfall, Mpumalanga 49mm, and the Lowveld 44mm and Louis Trichardt 84mm.

WATCH: Sluice gate opened as Vaal Dam breaches 100%