Orange level 5 warning for severe thunderstorms in Eastern Cape

An orange level 5 warning has been issued for severe thunderstorms with heavy rain over the OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo district municipalities and the Mbashe local municipality in the Eastern Cape on Friday.  

The central parts of the Free State and southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal are also expected to experience severe thunderstorms with heavy rain.  

According to the South African Weather Service (SAWS), this could lead to localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges as well as localised damage to infrastructure, settlements (formal/informal), property and vehicles.  

Friday’s weather forecast  

Gauteng: Partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers by the afternoon. 

Mpumalanga: Morning fog patches along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers, except in the north-east. It will be hot in the Lowveld. 

Limpopo: Fine and warm to hot but partly cloudy in the south with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme south-west. 

North West: Cloudy and warm with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the extreme north-east, clearing from the west in the afternoon. 

Free State: Cloudy and warm with scattered to wide-spread showers and thundershowers, clearing from the west in the afternoon. 

Northern Cape: Cloudy along the coast and adjacent interior at first with morning fog patches, other fine and warm to hot, but partly cloudy over the eastern interior with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the extreme east, clearing from the west towards the afternoon. The wind along the coast will be light and variable, becoming light to moderate southerly to south-westerly in the afternoon. 

Western Cape: Fine in the west, otherwise partly cloudy to cloudy and warm but cool in the south. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected in the east and long the south coast clearing by the late afternoon. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-easterly, becoming strong along the south-west coast. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High 

ALSO READ: Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms in parts of KZN, Eastern Cape

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy and cool weather with scattered showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate south-westerly. 

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy and cool with widespread showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be Light southerly becoming moderate south-westerly. 

KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog over the interior, otherwise partly cloudy and warm but hot in places in the north. It will become cloudy from the south in the afternoon with scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the north, except in the extreme north-east. 

Partly cloudy and warm, but cool in the south-west. It will become cloudy in the afternoon with scattered showers and thundershowers, but isolated in the north, except in the extreme north-east. 

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly to north-easterly becoming fresh to strong southerly to south-westerly from the south in the evening.