Severe thunderstorms, heavy rain expected in parts of KZN, Free State on Wednesday

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms and heavy downpours, hail, damaging wind and excessive lightning.

The weather service also warned that the conditions could lead to flooding in informal settlements or roads, low-lying areas and bridges over the eastern parts of the Free-State, western parts of KwaZulu-Natal as well as the eastern and northern parts of the Eastern Cape.

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Wednesday’s weather forecast:

Gauteng:  Partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High.

Mpumalanga: Morning fog patches along the escarpment and eastern highveld, otherwise partly cloudy and warm but hot in the Lowveld. Isolated showers and thundershowers are expected in the Highveld from the late afternoon.

Limpopo:  Morning drizzle along the escarpment, otherwise partly cloudy and warm to hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the south from the afternoon.

North West: Partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated showers and thundershowers, but scattered in the extreme south-east.

Free State: Partly cloudy and warm to hot, with scattered showers and thundershowers.

Western Cape: Partly cloudy and warm but hot over the north-eastern interior. It will become cloudy along the south-west and south coast from evening with light rain in the south-west overnight. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate north-westerly along the south coast at first, otherwise moderate westerly to south-westerly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Partly cloudy and warm but hot in the north where afternoon isolated showers and thundershowers are expected. Isolated showers and rain are expected along the coast and adjacent interior west of Gqeberha in the evening. The wind along the coast will be moderate south westerly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Partly cloudy and warm to hot becoming cloudy with isolated showers and thundershowers by afternoon but scattered in the east. The wind along the coast will be moderate south westerly.

KwaZulu-Natal: Partly cloudy and warm but hot in places. Scattered showers and thundershowers are expected in the west, otherwise isolated except in the north-east. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh north-easterly. The expected UVB sunburn index: High.

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