Level 5 warning: Disruptive rain expected in North West, Gauteng and Free State

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued an orange level 5 warning for disruptive rain over the western parts of the North West on Saturday.

Residents in these areas should watch out for flooding of low-lying areas, including roads, which may cause dangerous driving conditions, damage to formal/informal infrastructure, disruption of services, agricultural losses, and possible loss of life.

A yellow level 2 warning for disruptive rain has also been issued over the central and eastern parts of North West, in places over the Free State, Gauteng and along with the coastal areas between East London and Richards Bay on Saturday.

Localised flooding of low lying roads and poor driving conditions can be expected in these areas, according to the weather service.

The weather service also issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds and heavy downpours leading to localized flooding, damage to infrastructure, settlements, property and short term disruption to municipal and other essential services over the northern and north-eastern parts of Northern Cape.

“We would like to urge residents in all seven regions of the City of Johannesburg to exercise caution, especially our motorists to extend a safe following distance, try and avoid crossing flooded bridges. Residents in our informal settlements must monitor the water levels in the streams and try to avoid crossing them. We will remain on high alert monitoring all the seven regions in the city. We’ve got our water rescue unit on high alert,” said Joburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi.

Residents in the Kamiesberg Municipality of the Northern Cape should expect extremely high fire danger conditions.

Saturday’s weather forecast

Gauteng: Cloudy and cold with scattered showers at times. The expected UVB sunburn index: Low

Mpumalanga: Morning fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise cloudy and cold with scattered showers. It will be cool in the Lowveld.

Limpopo: Morning drizzle along the escarpment, otherwise cloudy and cool, but warm in the Lowveld. Isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are expected in the southern and western Bushveld.

North West: Cloudy and cold to cool with widespread showers and thundershowers.

Free State: Cloudy and cold to cool with scattered showers and thundershowers but widespread in the north and north-west.

Northern Cape: Fine in the west where it will be warm, otherwise partly cloudy and cool with isolated showers and thundershowers but cloudy with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers in the northern and eastern parts. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly.

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Western Cape: Cloudy over the eastern interior in the morning, otherwise fine and cool becoming partly cloudy along the south coast in the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong easterly along the south coast, otherwise fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cold in places over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and cool, but cloudy along the coast and the extreme north with light rain and showers in places. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly, reaching strong in places in the east in the afternoon, but light in the early morning.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Cool along the coast, otherwise cloudy and cold, with scattered showers and rain but widespread along the coast and northern interior. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly but light in the early morning.

KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog over the interior, otherwise cloudy and cool but cold in the west with scattered showers and rain but widespread along the coast. The wind along the coast will be moderate south-easterly to easterly becoming fresh in places at times. The expected UVB sunburn index: Low